Iryna Dubenko Lipp fell in love and moved to Park City from Ukraine with her new American husband in 2021, planning to move back to her home country in a couple of years. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 ended that thought. A native of Kyiv, Lipp grew up in Ukraine’s capital city with her mom, dad and brother. She spent her summers in the countryside with her grandparents, “milking cows, playing in the pastures and riding a bike all around.”  After honing her English skills by reading the Harry Potter series, Lipp decided to earn her degree as an English translator. During this time she met and fell in love with an American flight attendant. “He actually showed me around my own city,” she laughed. “He knew all the tourist sites.” After getting married in 2021, the couple came to the United States. “We pretty quickly decided we wanted to live in Park City,” she said. “My husband is from Florida, but his family had deep ties to Park City, as they would come here for ski vacations.” The newlyweds wanted to stay in the United States for a couple of years, and then planned to return to Kyiv. Upon hearing the news of the invasion, Lipp’s thoughts went to her parents and extended family there. “I was telling my mom and dad they needed to leave Ukraine. But they told me they wouldn’t leave until it became really dangerous. Unfortunately, once it became dangerous, it was too late. All the roads were blocked with cars, all the train stations were packed, and they were stuck,” she said.  Since that date in February 2022, Lipp has tried to move her parents from the country’s capital city to the countryside. “Getting them out of Kyiv has been impossible because they like being home,” she said. “While my parents are currently safe, you never know when missiles are going to hit.”  Everyday life in Ukraine is unpredictable. According to the Institute for the Study of War, Moscow will regularly fire “large salvos together with swarms of drones to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defense systems,” and these attacks can last for days or weeks.  “Sadly, my parents have gotten used to the bombings,” she said.  All of her loved ones — regardless of where they live — have been affected one way or another over these past four years. “The conscription age limit in Ukraine is 60 years old. My uncle is 59, and he was just drafted,” she said. Her extended family has already lost some members in the war, and these losses will likely continue, she said.  Per the Institute for the Study of War’s analytical assessments, recent “delays in Western security assistance have handed the initiative to the Kremlin, enabling tactical Russian advances while condemning the conflict to a protracted war of attrition.”  An analytical report by the Assessment Capacities Project concluded that “the withdrawal of U.S. funding has further constrained humanitarian assistance for immediate war-driven needs, energy security, long-term governance and resilience-building, and wartime fiscal stability.”  As Lipp has watched her fellow countrymen defend themselves against Russia, a desire to help her homeland overwhelmed her.  At first, she wasn’t sure what to do or how to begin. Then, through a serendipitous meeting on social media, she was connected to a Ukrainian advocate.  “She asked if I wanted to help with some fundraising, and although I was never involved in anything like that, I said yes,” she said. Soon, Lipp was flying across the country to join members of the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America at a fundraiser in Delaware. The league provides humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine by delivering medical supplies, financial assistance and relief. The nonprofit also promotes Ukrainian culture, educational programs and training and raises awareness.  Once in Delaware, Lipp helped the league set up the fundraiser. “The event was at a bar, and all the tips went towards the donations. There was a silent auction that included Ukrainian paintings and art, and an online link for donations,” she said. That one event raised over $8,000, which “paid for an evacuation vehicle for relief medics in Ukraine.” Afterward, Lipp realized she too could organize and fundraise for Ukraine. She returned to Utah and applied for the first Utah chapter of the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America.  After some time and a lot of hard work, “Branch 149 was granted membership in May of this year,” she said.  The goal of the Utah branch is to provide community and support to Ukrainian Americans and their allies, host cultural events, fundraise and promote advocacy. In addition to donating, there are other ways to support the Ukrainian cause. “As an American you can advocate for the bills that are out there,” Lipp said. “Reach out to your House representatives and your senators and ask them to sponsor the bills. Many of the congressmen are already huge supporters of Ukraine, and they know Russia is also an enemy of the United States and they can hurt America as well.” With the charter in place, Lipp has started organizing events and fundraisers, and is currently planning a screening of a Ukrainian documentary. Lipp also encourages individuals to connect with their Ukrainian neighbors. “Many of us are craving a sense of community and would like to make new friends,” she said. “I have found that Americans are like peaches and Ukrainians are like coconuts. While Americans are soft on the outside, super friendly and always smiling, they have a hard core and protect their hearts. On the contrary, Ukrainians have a hard shell and don’t always seem nice. We don’t always smile. But as soon as you get to the core, we will open up and share our feelings and deep thoughts. If you let us in, we will end up being one of your closest friends.”   For more information or to donate, email [email protected]. To learn more, visit their social media sites on Facebook or Instagram @unwla_branch_149.  The post Parkite finds a way to help her home country, Ukraine appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less