A group of orphans in Ukraine won’t be forgotten this Christmas season, thanks partly to the help of students at North Allegheny.
The North Allegheny Interact Club, a high school branch Rotary International District 7305, participated in a gift-giving project for orphans in the city of Lviv in western Ukraine.
Interact clubs carry out service projects, develop leadership and communication skills, and make local, national, and international connections, and according to Mark Barnhart, District 7305 Interact chairman.
North Allegheny donated money to purchase items such as warm-up suits and hoodies for seven Ukrainian orphans, according to Interact teacher leads Carolyn Steele at the intermediate high school and Janellen Lombardi at the senior high.
Members of the senior high’s National Honor Society donated smaller gifts, including socks, underwear and toys. The English language development class at NAI “adopted” one orphan and purchased all the items for that child.
EarlyAct clubs at Marshall and Carson middle schools raised $905 to ship the gifts by sea.
“Seeing and hearing about the joy that this project brings to those in need makes me extremely happy that I was able to help out,” said senior Jack Ferraro, a North Allegheny Interact officer.
The NA students were given first names, ages, genders and sizes of the children, along with a few requests for gifts.
“We gave the kids practical gifts, which will help them to adapt to their circumstances,” Steele and Lombardi said via email. “We collected items that would keep them warm during a cold winter, as well as items that would keep their minds busy.”
Overall, District 7305 collected clothes and toys for 71 orphans with the help of Interact clubs throughout the region.
This is the second year the district is doing the project, in collaboration with the Brotherhood of St. Nicholas, a Ukrainian mutual aid society, and St. Vladimir Ukrainian Catholic Church in Arnold.
The items will arrive in Ukraine prior to Christmas, and seminarians and parishioners will sort and wrap the gifts. There were 18 boxes of clothing and three boxes of toys, according to Barnhart.
At the Interact District Conference in October, the students from North Allegheny heard from two seminarians with the Brotherhood of St. Nicholas, which serves several orphanages in the Lviv region, through a video call about the impact of these gifts on the children last Christmas.
“Their words were incredibly moving,” Steele said. “They told us that these children have lost everything. They lost their homes, their families, and their beautiful lives. Many have also lost hope as they endure immense suffering. The gifts we sent offered a moment for the children to live a happy, normal life.”
According to Lombardi, Brother Bogdan, one of the seminarians, told the Interact students:
“You’ve helped the children to understand there are people around the world who care for them. You’ve given them motivation to keep living. The love you showed them will stay with them for the rest of their lives.”
North Allegheny freshman Amelia Oddo, an Interact officer, expressed her enthusiasm.
“I loved doing this project because I know that the kids who receive these gifts actually need them and we are making a real impact,” she said.
Sophomore Kate Azar, another Interact officer, agreed.
“Gifts for Ukraine reminded me of the power of community, as I saw so many people coming together to support those in need,” Kate said.
The Rev. Yaroslav Koval, St. Vladimir’s pastor, helped with the project along with a parishioner at his church.
Koval, whose mother lives in Ukraine, came to the United States 13 years ago. He regularly keeps updated on the orphans through the seminarians.
The orphanages are located in western Ukraine, but many of the orphans are from the eastern part of the country, which is much more affected by the war initiated by Russia. The orphanages there were destroyed and moved to other side of Ukraine, where there is less conflict, Koval said.
There are many more needs. For example, Koval cited a Youth Group Emmanuel in Ukraine that is helping orphans who have disabilities in Ukraine. Group members visit the orphans every Saturday, hold summer camps for the kids, and teach them to pray and play games. The group could use donations.
Featured Local Businesses
Tetiana Muzyka, a mother of two in Ukraine, met Father Koval while she was teaching Ukrainian at the University of Pittsburgh the past two summers. She also visits the orphanages regularly, including a social rehabilitation center for children in Ivano-Frankivsk, her hometown in western Ukraine.
She keeps in touch with the nuns who care for the children, including an 11-year-old girl who has cerebral palsy. Muzyka said the girl needs a chair that will help her throughout her day.
Koval at St. Vladimir said he can help direct any donations. Contact the church at 724-339-9257.