eClub Rotarian Dan Smith, live in the Ukraine

I am in Lviv today, here for PETS. It is so busy there is not much I can do so back to the hotel to play catch-up.

By Monday I will have a lot of stories posted on the website, Facebook, etc. It has been challenging. I have been without internet, which can be scary when you are traveling in between place. Hotels have Wi-Fi so that helps. They tell me Russia is blocking all foreign services. I finally bought a Ukrainian mobile phone to use as a hot spot. Now I'm a two fisted mobile dude.

Such incredible stories from remarkable people. North of Kyiv we visited Moshchun where the Russian invasion was stopped. Devastated the village. Talked with a doctor whose husband and son were shot and taken to Belarus. The son is still there. Visited the Rotary "village" temporary housing, and clinic. Met with the club, the hub where they distribute humanitarian aid and much more.

Then to Cherkasy and meet with Tatiana Ocheret, a journalist, and her team. Had the most incredible encounters. Visited and presented to students at the University. It happened to be the celebration of Taras Shevchenko, a poet from the 19th century, with songs, displays, flowers, poetry. He is the Ukrainian hero. If you want to know about the heart of Ukraine, read his poetry.

Went to several volunteer centers where they support orphans, the elderly, and their solders, who are their children. Which is an important fact. Rotary tends to get caught up in this "we will not support war" but what would you do if your husbands and sons were fighting just a few miles away to protect you from a truly evil army? Somehow, the Rotary position seems hollow here.
Just by chance, we had a concert by some Ukrainian students in the parking lot and an incredible spontaneous singing of the national anthem by the volunteers. I guarantee you these stories and things we experienced will move you and give you goosebumps. They even invited me to go on a medical supply run to Bakhmut. Can you imagine what would happen to an American on a military first aid supply run behind Russian lines. Thanks, but a bit too much risk just now.

Meet with the Rotaract and Interact clubs to talk about helping us collect the "voice" of Ukraine by reaching out to the people and asking for stories, poems, songs, short videos. The Library of Congress, Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute, and the Hoover Institution, Stanford University are putting together an archive to capture this moment in Ukraine, wouldn't it be great to have Rotary be a part of this archive. Some differences in approach. Here they want more "produced" presentations to put the best face out there; I want the raw unedited voices. What do you think?
Well, have to get back to posting so you can see this all.
Thanks,
Dan

Want to Experience What It’s Like to be in Kyiv?

We hear stories and watch the news, but what is it really like to be in Kyiv? To live under the constant threat of being attacked again and bombed?

Here is a proposal for those who really want to share this experience with the people of Kyiv.

• Download one of these apps.
• Set the location for Kyiv
• Every time the alert sounds, stop and just imagine what is going on. Do you go to the shelter? Do you just go on with your day?
• Send a prayer or a thought to the people living there, they just got the same alarm.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ukrainealarm

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ukraine-safety-alerts/id1613373267

If you are in a store or business, they will ask you to either leave or go to their bomb shelter.