Ukraine Refugee Assistance

Some news about the trip 

i've called all the moms and asked them what gifts their kids would wish. They were VERY surprised and thankful - GOOD thing we all doing!!!

Yesterday's evening...  i think that i'll send the list of kids' wishes when i get back home from my work  

Well, yeah... Someone had other plans for me - first ... electricity went out  more than three hours  okay...

then we had drones attacks to the city for about two hours - hey, stop it  i have too many important work to do, stop disturb me and other people 

Don't worry, everything's ok  our air defenders do their job very well  but we had some "fun" 

So Santa i send you the wish list today  Continue on our way no matter what 

Have a question - Santa have you washed African dirt off Santa's sleigh? 

Ladies and gentlemen, WE GOT OUR LIST!!!!!!

I'm so excited!  It is VERY obvious VikkiDp put a LOT of effort into this.  She even sent pictures of examples of each child wanted.  We're going to get to work right away!!!

Here goes nothin!

Hungary Bill (Forum Supporter) said:

Ladies and gentlemen, WE GOT OUR LIST!!!!!!

 

 

I'm so excited!  It is VERY obvious VikkiDp put a LOT of effort into this.  She even sent pictures of examples of each child wanted.  We're going to get to work right away!!!

Here goes nothin!

But she didn't put herself on the list!

dude, someone's chopping onions like crazy here.  the first one on the list wants warm pajamas for christmas.

sorry for asking such a dumb question, but are you asking for people to send these items, or are you looking for $ donations and your team of elves will do the shopping?

tuna55 said:

Hungary Bill (Forum Supporter) said:

Ladies and gentlemen, WE GOT OUR LIST!!!!!!

 

 

I'm so excited!  It is VERY obvious VikkiDp put a LOT of effort into this.  She even sent pictures of examples of each child wanted.  We're going to get to work right away!!!

Here goes nothin!

But she didn't put herself on the list!

Mrs. Hungary and I are already on that one

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:

dude, someone's chopping onions like crazy here.  the first one on the list wants warm pajamas for christmas.

 

sorry for asking such a dumb question, but are you asking for people to send these items, or are you looking for $ donations and your team of elves will do the shopping?

The way we have it planned now, is we're going to use the money donated to purchase items from the list.  First we're going to buy one item for each kid.  This should cost us about $40each, and we have $2000 remaining in our GoFundMe (and just under $1000 in paper money).

Once we get one gift for each child, we're going to re-count the money and go back at the list.  Our goal will be to get both gift ideas for everyone on the list.

Also of note, my mother and grandmother will be arriving on Friday to help.  We'll hit the markets together, they're going to watch the kids while Mrs. Hungary and I are driving.  We've pulled out all the stops for this one.  Carolina is getting some warm pajamas this year

VikkiDp said:

Some news about the trip 

i've called all the moms and asked them what gifts their kids would wish. They were VERY surprised and thankful - GOOD thing we all doing!!!

Yesterday's evening...  i think that i'll send the list of kids' wishes when i get back home from my work  

Well, yeah... Someone had other plans for me - first ... electricity went out  more than three hours  okay...

then we had drones attacks to the city for about two hours - hey, stop it  i have too many important work to do, stop disturb me and other people 

Don't worry, everything's ok  our air defenders do their job very well  but we had some "fun" 

So Santa i send you the wish list today  Continue on our way no matter what 

Have a question - Santa have you washed African dirt off Santa's sleigh? 

 

Not yet I havent, but I did get the hood welded back up and the back window working again.  If there's time I'll give her a wash, but I don't want to lose the hand prints we got from the kids in africa (Bill realizes he hasn't told you guys about the school supplies in africa... )

But Vikki, you are absolutely amazing.  I've gone through the list in its entirety and matched it up to all the pictures you sent.  I printed out 4-copies and I'm ready to hand them out to the family to start making this happen.  But to put something together that's so complete and thorough while you were going through everything that was going on, is just flat out insane.  You must have the strength and determination of...  Well, of a Ukrainian! 

You did an great job on this, and now we'll do ours. 

Thank you.

And my apologies to everyone, I forgot to tell you this earlier.

The duck flew, and when it landed we were at the "Abundant Grace International School", south of Freetown, Sierra Leone.  With it came school supplies and even a tablet that was donated to help the 200 students and 14 teachers on campus:

Those hand prints are a big reason as to why I haven't washed the truck 

Reposting for this page:

https://gofund.me/36b72192

WOW Bill - very cool session at the school.  Guessing that's tempera paint so it washed off easily from hands.  Not sure there's much way to save that, guessing you got it nice and sloppy in the mud when in the process of getting stuck.

84FSP said:

WOW Bill - very cool session at the school.  Guessing that's tempera paint so it washed off easily from hands.  Not sure there's much way to save that, guessing you got it nice and sloppy in the mud when in the process of getting stuck.

100%.  There are still a lot of hand prints that remain, and it really just is my nostalgia that keeps me from washing it, but I'm not ready to completely let them go yet.

I've been chatting with Helge Meyer throughout all this.  When I sent him this picture of the children in Sierra Leone:

He sent me an identical one back that he took in Bosnia.  It was crazy 

Announcement:

Ladies and gents,

A member of another forum has announced a raffle he would like to host and expressed his desire to include GRM.

Here's what he has up for grabs:

1x - Russian Warship Go berkeley Yourself postal stamp (The original FF Series run of the stamp in April, not the newer one. It just cleared customs so I'll have it in possession soon).

2x - Mriya plushies, just like from the last topic.

1x - cookbook - "Mamushka: Recipes from Ukraine and Eastern Europe" (It's arrived)

2 "packages" of 1 stamp sheet+1postcard+1 envelope to the raffle pile

Each "ticket" for the raffle is $10, and it only applies to the gofundme (as this other forum does not raise money for the shelter, sorry guys).  If you donated, or will donate, simply send me proof with the dollar amount (or let me know via e-mail) and I will make sure he allots you your tickets.  Winners will be drawn as soon as I return.

Any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

Just got back from our first shopping trip!

One gift each for 22 of the 38 children are represented in that photo.  On Monday we're going to the mall (a 45 minute drive from here) to really get serious.

Looking at the remaining cash, I think we should have enough to buy each child their second gift option.

guys....  holy berkeley.

Someone locally asked for a quick by the numbers, and I'm pretty anal about such things.  This is what I came up with:

HungaryBill wrote:
As promised, here’s the tally of what we bought so far:

Carolina (Girl, age 15) from Chuguiv (Kharkiv region) is getting a girl’s citi mini-pack backpack.

Roman (Boy, age 11) rom Kherson is getting two Ninjago lego sets.  He asked for “Zanes golden dragon” set and is getting that plus “Jay’s Thunder Dragon” set.

Veronika (Girl, age 12) from Popasnaya (Luhansk region) is getting a bead kit to make bracelets, and Christmas gnomes.

Sofia (Girl, age 13) from the Mykolaiv region is getting wireless ear buds

Dariya (Girl, age 12) from the Mykolaiv region is getting a smart watch

Artem (boy, age 3) from the Mykolaiv region is getting a radio controlled monster truck

Diana (girl, age 13) from Slaviansk is getting a sketch book, paint brushes, and a tempera paint set.

Danil (boy, age 12) from Kramatorsk is getting a lego speed set (Aston Martin) which includes 2 cars.

Miroslava (girl, age 4) from Kramatorsk is getting two bead kits (ages 4 and up) to make bracelets and necklaces.

Artur (boy, age 7) from Volnovaha is getting a foot-scooter

Yaroslava (girl, age 9) from Avdeevka is getting a Barbie “Made to Move” doll.

Sofia (girl, age 1.5) from Ochakov is getting a dancing cactus toy that plays music.

Milana (girl, age 2) from Mykolalv is getting a child’s foot-scooter

Elina (girl, age 13) from Kramatorsk is getting a tri-pod mounted ring light phone holder (the type one might use to take more professional photos from their phone).

Timofey (boy, age 6) from Kramatorsk is getting a medium-large sized lego city police chase set, with a small police car lego kit, and a small airplane lego kit.

Arina (girl, age 11) rom Kharkiv is getting a set of JBL wireless headphones.

Anna (girl, age 12) rom Dnipro is getting art supplies.  Canvas and canvas paper, 24-color paint kit, artist’s brush kit, and a sketch book (the canvas was donated by a local and did not come out of our funds)

Dmitry (boy, age 7) rom Kherson is getting two medium sized lego minecraft kits

David (Boy, age 7-months) from Kramatorsk is getting 2 sets of age appropriate shape toys.  The type where shapes fit in certain holes, but the kits are self-containing so all the parts can be packed up and carried/put away if needed)

Milana (girl, age 6-months) is getting a folding high-chair (with table) and plastic/silicone spoons that change color if the food is too hot.

Vladislav (boy, age 10) from Dnipro is getting a set of JBL wireless headphones.

 

In all we had 38 children from 25 families ask for about 2-gifts each.  As of this writing we have spent approximately 275,000 forint and have purchased one gift for 22 children so far.  16 children are still needing their first gift purchased, and we’d like to go back through and purchase the second gift option for all 38 children.  Quick math shows our account has just over 600,000 forint left which means we should be able to complete the mission if we watch our spending.

Quick note:  Some of the remaining items are “sweets”, “diapers”, and “baby food” so they would not be as expensive as the first gift option was.  Conversely, if we had cash remaining then there is literally no end to the amount of baby food and diapers we would buy and take with us.

I haven't sent any of the above yet, as I needed to check the GFM balance to make sure my numbers were correct.

When I checked GFM, I can see that exactly 3 minutes ago (according to GFM), someone donated $7000!!!!!!!

I'm in absolute shock right now.  I cant even begin...  This cant be real.  This absolutely can not be real.

berkeley.

berkeley berkeley berkeley.

can this be real???

berkeley!!!!

In reply to Hungary Bill (Forum Supporter) :

Nice work, Bill. Way to preserve humanity.

In reply to Hungary Bill (Forum Supporter) :

Wow... Somebody REALLY wants to win that raffle!

You might need a bigger truck for this run.

In reply to Driven5:

It's been an hour.  The money is still there.  Time for the obligatory meme:

tuna55 said:

In reply to Hungary Bill (Forum Supporter) :

Nice work, Bill. Way to preserve humanity.

Thanks, man.  My mom and grandmother are headed this way now, and I just found out they're bringing another $1000 with them.

I don't know how we're going to be able to spend all this, but I know one thing for certain:  This is going to be one Christmas these kids will never forget

Does gofundme have a way of contacting the anonymous donor to verify that this was a not a typo or something, where they'll want/need a refund in a month once they realize the mistake?

In reply to Driven5 :

No idea.  And I was afraid that if I touched it, it'd go away.
As it sits, it's been over 24-hours now and not only is the money still there, but GFM is moving it to my bank.

I think that means it's real.  We're doing this.

Side note:  That donation came in about 24 hours after a manager within my company contacted me and asked if he could share my fundraiser with his group.  "His group" is in Qatar, and I can see that the man's name that made the donation is a middle eastern name.  Furthermore, the donated amount was almost exactly what we needed to put us up to our stated goal of $10,000.

Now I haven't been able to contact the manager in question yet, but the coincidences seem too accurate to be a chance/mistake.

So here's a question I wasn't expecting to ask. Since the GFM goal has been met and then some, should we continue to contribute to that, or redirect that money to the PayPal account for all the other ongoing programs?

People like you are keeping this atrocity at the top of the internet.  This kind of situation happening in 2022 is really making a lot of people wonder what they can do to help.  Keep up the awesome work and don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

When I checked GFM, I can see that exactly 3 minutes ago (according to GFM), someone donated $7000!!!!!!!

I'm in absolute shock right now.  I cant even begin...  This cant be real.  This absolutely can not be real.

Ohhh, when i saw the GFM page i was VERY shocked - my BIG eyes.... Whaaat? Hooowww? How you did it? 

It's a real Christmas miracle and magic!!!

People - all of you who were involved in this - all of you are incredible !!! 

To see kid's smiles and joy in the eyes of kids - it's worth it!!! it's worth all the efforts!!!

So if it's real then I have some thoughts - let me share them.

1. can i add more kids to the list? i'll find about 10 for sure - i need 1-2 days for that.

2. can we buy some papers for the ECG and  test strips for the glucose meter? I guess it can be useful for the rehab center.

3. my neighbor came home this weekend and asked me if it's possible to help him with some things.

4. i have one more idea... 

The one thing i'm worried about how to cram everything into the truck... the higher level exam for Bill - master Yoda in tetris-packaging  

VikkiDp said:

The one thing i'm worried about how to cram everything into the truck... the higher level exam for Bill - master Yoda in tetris-packaging  

Bill needs a little trailer, or a rooftop carrier at the bare minimum. 

...or a d-cab Tundra, but that's probably outside the budget.