Luciw gave an informative and impassioned exposition of the unjust, barbaric and inhuman nature of Russia’s heavily armed attack on Ukraine and her people. He also placed Moscow’s brutality into geopolitical perspective and outlined the separate and distinct nature and history of the Ukrainian nation which goes back to the ninth century and pre-dates Russia’s beginnings by approximately 500 years. Sawkiw shared his belief that the U.S. and its allies must provide even more military, economic and humanitarian help than they are currently. One of reasons he cited is that Ukraine is the “breadbasket” of Europe and the world. He said that Russia’s intentional interference with the production and shipping of Ukraine’s grain around the globe could readily cause a world-wide famine.
Rotary District 7450 Governor Roger Taylor emceed the evening. Poland’s District Governor-Elect, Piotr Jankowski and Ukraine’s District Governor Volodymyr Bondarenko spoke on video, thanking attendees for their support but also pleading for more help. “The war is far from over. We have to buy a lot of food now to prepare for winter.” said Jankowski.
Volunteers from 50 Rotary clubs in the Philadelphia area organized the event to raise money for a special relief fund created to help Ukrainians impacted by the Russian attacks. Rotary District 7450 is working directly with Poland’s Rotary District in a coordinated “on the ground” response to the worsening humanitarian crisis. Event proceeds will be used to purchase food, clothing, medical supplies, generators, transportation, and accommodations.
The “United with Ukraine” event was an extension of the original fundraising initiative to help Ukraine that began shortly after the war broke out. Philadelphia Rotary member Ken Myers called a long-time club member, Joan Batory and said, “We have to do something. I don’t know what that is or looks like, but we have to mobilize support to provide aid and assistance.”
Batory directed Myers to contact Rotary Clubs in Poland saying, “I knew that the clubs were severely impacted by the enormous number of refugees pouring into Poland. If anyone was getting anything done, it had to be the Rotarians there!”
A centerpiece of the June fundraiser was a video appearance by Borys Gudziak, Archbishop of the Philadelphia Ukrainian Catholic Church. Gudziak spoke about Rotary’s important humanitarian role in helping Ukraine during this crisis. He spoke of Russian President Putin’s feeling threatened by Ukraine’s freedom and diversity. Said the Archbishop, “Ukraine had a “virus,” democracy, from the point of view of oligarchic Russia so Putin made a decision to protect the autocracy by killing the “germ” of democracy in Ukraine, trying to crush it.”
