“To keep them warm”

Den’s charity campaign, already traditional, reached a whole new level on December 5 as it became a double warmth effort. In the framework of MEDVIN Exhibition Fair, we collected another batch of postcards with warm words for our soldiers... and a few boxes of warm clothes, brought there by concerned Kyivites.

The idea to sign postcards to be sent to the front occurred to us last month, on November 5, the day when Den’s staff signed our first postcards for Ukrainian soldiers, and in a few days, anyone was able to write words of gratitude and support at our event in the “Kyiv” Cinema. Human warmth-filled Friday evenings have been held weekly ever since, and the postcard format has become too narrow for those who want to do more. In a few weeks, the winter started and the first snow fell, making it clear that our men now needed a double dose of warmth, coming from warm words and warm clothes. People responded immediately.

“Friends told me about the event, and I decided to join it. I am glad to see such events. Soldiers need a lot of support from home. It is a war involving our entire nation, so we have to unite and support each other,” student Oleksandr said on joining our effort.

Employees of Express Bank called our office earlier in the day to be sure of the event’s venue and soldiers’ needs, and they came in the evening with packages full of soldier’s life necessities. “I learned about this event from Den, told my colleagues, and we all joined it. We brought blankets, socks, underpants, and a sleeping bag, according to the list of needs published by your newspaper. We added sweets as well. It all was collected quickly, in 24 hours, because willing people always find time to help,” Tetiana Horodnytska, Express-Bank’s employee and reader of Den, told us. “I regularly donate money to help soldiers fighting in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) area. Some of my fellow employees are fighting in the east, and we support them. I bow to Ukrainian fighters and their parents who brought up such heroes.”

The youngest participant of the event was 5th-grade student Anastasia Karkachova, who received good wishes throughout the day herself, since she turned 11 on December 5. As her contribution to the charity effort, the girl signed her first postcard for a soldier and donated handmade charms she made herself for our soldiers. “I decided to write a letter when I saw on TV that soldiers were very glad to receive gifts from children. It is easy to write a few kind words for them. I wished our soldiers happiness, success and return as soon as possible from the ATO area... There are shellings there, and it is scary, but our side must win!” the girl told us.

“I followed your preparations on Facebook for several days. I have brought a few motanka rag dolls, which our boys put in pockets as charms. I have donated blue-and-yellow ribbons as well, which other artists have made,” said Nina Mykhailyshyn, an employee of Kyiv Regional Center of Folk Art. “I requested a few copies of your newspaper to accompany my package, along with collections of patriotic songs, it will all be sent to our boys who serve at the front. Let them be warm and cozy during short breaks in the fighting, when they hide in their dugouts. Perhaps they will see in the pages of Den a familiar face, read something of interest to them. This is important because our words link our soldiers to us. They fight with weapons, but we have to wage our own war by word, song, and progress.”

The event was a success, inspiring its participants and leaving warm feelings behind. Therefore, we will hold a sequel!

Those who could not attend it on December 5, are welcome to bring clothes to Den’s office at 121D Peremohy Avenue on weekdays or to our next events (to be announced on our website and on Den’s pages). What should you bring? Warm woolen or half-woolen blankets, plaids, socks, fleece or wool caps of dark colors (preferably green, khaki, brown, gray, or, less desirably, black), warm gloves of the same colors, balaclavas, thermal underwear, warm underpants, warm insoles of every size, heating pads for hands and feet, medicines to treat cold, cough, and sore throat, universal protective creams against frosty weather, chapsticks, thermoses, winter and fall season tourist sleeping bags, warm sweaters of dark colors, dry fuel, sweets (nuts, halva, condensed milk, etc.), prepaid cards for mobile phones, children’s drawings...

Thanks to everyone who joins our campaign!