Ukraine

[Doug Fattic]

While you guys have been debating and reading about what has been going on in Ukraine, I've been busy using my contacts to send money for assistance. I've been thankful many have responded to our request for help. One of my former translators is the middleman between our assistance and their needs. It has been a real challenge to get money over there because the usual money transfer places have a lot of restrictions. Scammers are working this situation hard. I had to pass a test proving I personally knew who I was sending money too. Not just knew them but had met them '"eye to eye".

What they have been using the money for we have sent over is 1st for fuel to drive people to the border. They can bring back food on the return trip. It is getting very scarce locally. My translator lives in a city already under Russian control. She can transfer money to members of the Odessa church that is hard at work with refugee relief efforts. The church has a large kitchen where large volumes of food can be prepared in big kettles. It was already prepared to do this because it is often a meeting center. Meals are served in the church as well as out at the train station. Almost all of these volunteers are out of work because no businesses are functioning. Of course it is a worry how long they will be able to do this because Odessa is a prime port city target for the Russians.

It is fortunate that because of our ongoing bicycle project, there are people I know and trust already in place that I can send the money raised here over there. They can communicate back to me how it was used and what is happening. Your FoFundMe dollars at work.

The first 3 pictures are at the church and the last 2 at the railway station.

[thollandpe]

While you guys have been debating and reading about what has been going on in Ukraine, I've been busy using my contacts to send money for assistance. I've been thankful many have responded to our request for help. One of my former translators is the middleman between our assistance and their needs. It has been a real challenge to get money over there because the usual money transfer places have a lot of restrictions. Scammers are working this situation hard. I had to pass a test proving I personally knew who I was sending money too. Not just knew them but had met them '"eye to eye".

What they have been using the money for we have sent over is 1st for fuel to drive people to the border. They can bring back food on the return trip. It is getting very scarce locally. My translator lives in a city already under Russian control. She can transfer money to members of the Odessa church that is hard at work with refugee relief efforts. The church has a large kitchen where large volumes of food can be prepared in big kettles. It was already prepared to do this because it is often a meeting center. Meals are served in the church as well as out at the train station. Almost all of these volunteers are out of work because no businesses are functioning. Of course it is a worry how long they will be able to do this because Odessa is a prime port city target for the Russians.

It is fortunate that because of our ongoing bicycle project, there are people I know and trust already in place that I can send the money raised here over there. They can communicate back to me how it was used and what is happening. Your FoFundMe dollars at work.

The first 3 pictures are at the church and the last 2 at the railway station.

Awesome work, Doug. My company — normally somewhat staid, conservative, and slow-to-act — has been matching donations to Ukraine. Please post your link again. I will hit that.

[smontanaro]

Awesome work, Doug. My company — normally somewhat staid, conservative, and slow-to-act — has been matching donations to Ukraine. Please post your link again. I will hit that.

I'm clearly late to this thread. (I didn't know it existed until Doug pointed it out to me.) I'm helping him gather donations to ditribute to a group in Ukraine with which Doug is affiiliated. There is a thread elsewhere on VS:

https://www.velocipedesalon.com/foru...ine-56787.html

but here is the direct GoFundMe link if you'd like to contribute:

https://gofund.me/3a4945ac

If you have any questions, let me know.