Help Needed for Siversk Van

For the second time, the humanitarian aid van provided to Weston’s sister city Siversk, Ukraine has been hit by Russian munitions and severely damaged.

Ukraine Aid International, the nonprofit that facilitated the Sister City Partnership has issued an urgent appeal for financial help to repair the vehicle.

The van is a lifeline for around 1,000 civilians who still live in Siversk, delivering medicine, food, and aid. On September 24, it was struck in a cluster munitions attack in nearby Kramatorsk, which like Siversk is in the crosshairs of Russian forces bent on capturing the entire Donetsk region.

UAI reports that no one in the van was injured in the attack, thanks to armor that was installed after the vehicle was hit by hostile fire in February. However, several ambulances were damaged in the same bombardment.

Donations to help repair the van can be made here.

For the kids

The children of Siversk have been dispersed to other part of the country for about two years, and the Weston sister city steering committee has been raising funds to give them a break from war.

So far, four therapeutic camp sessions have been held on safe ground to give the children a chance to reconnect, learn, engage with nature, enjoy recreation, and create art.

Look for members of the committee as they accept donations at a table in front of Weston High School when the Reservoir Run kicks off on Sunday, October 13.

One of the damaged ambulances