Ukraine Refugee Assistance

Happy monday everyone!  (well... it's monday to me.  Yesterday was a holiday )

Ok, first things first.  Here's our status report

It's been a quiet month this month (which makes sense.  It usually is after we do a run and post all the updates that follow).  In fact, the only big news is that I got our "Adopt a Medic" started for our friend Julia!  Here's the link:

https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8YJpyYxcbF

It's on Paypal, as GoFundMe wont allow us to collect for military members so that means there will be some fees involved.  Kind of a bummer, but I think it'll be a huge positive for the recipient on the other end.  Paypal also limits the amount we can collect as well as how long we can collect for.  I don't think we'll be in any danger of reaching our cash limit (but it would be REALLY cool if we were), but I'll have to remember to open another fundraiser when this one closes as I'm hoping to keep this open constantly to get as much help as possible to our friend on the other end.

I think there's also going to be a learning curve when it comes to updates on Paypal.  We'll see how it all goes but fingers crossed for success!

And speaking of Julia, we sent off about $930 last week to get her some more of the things she needs.  Unfortunately the exact amount isn't available for me to reference at the moment, as my bank is updating their system.  BUT when I do have it I'll update our chart accordingly.  Most of this money is slated to go to North American Rescue to purchase 30 more decompression needles and about 7 more CAT tourniquets.  The total there will be about $688, and the remaining cash will be transferred to Julia's account.  This is again all made possible because of VikkiDp, and I really cant thank her enough for the time and effort she puts into this.

I hope you guys all had a nice weekend, and here's to a short 4-day work week for me at the office!

Currently Open:

Vikki's "Mothers and Children" (Monthly Sustainment):  paypal@gmail address (Hungarian Forint)

Julia, our "adopted" medic:  https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8YJpyYxcbF

P.O. Box address available for any parties interested in shipping items directly to me in Hungary (PM for address)

Firefighting Collection for first responders in Ukraine

Currently being worked on:

I've removed the links to the Hospitallers Amazon wishlists due to ongoing issues on their end.  They can not seem to deliver what we need to neither my current address nor my PO box.  

If the Amazon.com situation changes, I'll repost the lists here.

Rebeka M. Collection is ongoing.   When I set up the PO box locally, it was to give her a private address for her supporters to send small items to.  I could then collect those items into a larger delivery and send them to her all at once.  I have her post details in Ukraine and still plan to keep this open.  She has my address and knows that it is open for her to use.  In the event that I do receive something for her, I will still make good on the promise to deliver but am otherwise considering her to have moved on to other things.

Currently Closed:

GoFundMe:  Expect this channel to open on the 1st of November for our Christmas run.

Hospitallers Battalion/Rebekah M:  Contact lost, and I was unable to reestablish.  Effort moved to Julia

Kisgorbo Refugee Shelter:  Warm wishes to all who took refuge.  May you all find peace and prosperity wherever you are.

Social media accounts:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/510575651154518

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/dniproexpress/

Thank you everyone!

I am still uncertain what types if things to ask local firefighters for. Do we have a list if the types of things that are needed and that can be dealt with by our current shipping/transportation systems?

In reply to Hungary Bill (Forum Supporter) :

That's absolutely great!!!

Thank you Bill, mayor Kozma and all the guys 

each and every one of you has given the warmth of your heart to these people 

There are human relationships where we do not prove ourselves with words, but with actions.  Neither language, nor distance, borders or ideology could stand between us.  It could mean the same for everyone. 

These are very important words, i believe!!!

In reply to Hungary Bill (Forum Supporter) :

my eldest Hungarling did when we unveiled the poster (whispering) "Dad.  The Ukrainian flag is upside down"

awww, Alex  that touched my heart 

Hi everyone!!!

i got the money for dr.Julia  so i'm starting to work on it 

Thank you all!!!

matthewmcl said:

I am still uncertain what types if things to ask local firefighters for. Do we have a list if the types of things that are needed and that can be dealt with by our current shipping/transportation systems?

Gloves, hoods (Balaclavas) and boots were three ideas that came to mind. 

I'm thinking of it this way:  Just like in racing organizations, firefighting equipment (specifically PPE) has certain date and inspection requirements or it's junk.  For a trackday, an FIA fire rated suit might be good for 3-years before it needs to be recertified.  A SNEL rated helmet is usually good for 10 years.  At the end of those dates, the helmet and firesuit aren't any less useful, it's just the insuring parties are no longer willing to take the risk.  This is a very American problem, and not something the rest of the world tends to bother with.

For the guy with nothing, a 10-year old SNEL helmet and a 3-year old FIA racing suit is infinitely better than having nothing at all.  The expiration dates imposed by foreign organizations mean nothing to him.  That's where we're looking to step in.

Firefighting boots, gloves, hoods (balaclavas), even pants and suits are all high wear items and suffer a high consumable rate when you're constantly digging through the rubble remains of an apartment building, etc.  If a fire department in the US had some gloves, suits, boots, etc (anything really) that was being discarded because it was approaching this "expiration date" for some certification, then that's what we're trying to grab.  As long as it was an otherwise useable item (no holes, not broken, etc), the Ukrainians can use it.  In their situation they could not possibly care less that a glove hit an American expiration date last month, they just need something without holes in it so they can keep fighting fires.

VikkiDp said:

Hi everyone!!!

i got the money for dr.Julia  so i'm starting to work on it 

Thank you all!!!

Good news!  We just had our first doation of $50 to Julia's paypal fundraiser!!!

Fingers crossed for lots more!

Hi everyone!

a little crazy day today, but... one important thing was done today 

18 ea CAT tourniquets have been ordered, paid for and already are on their way to me  

ooofff, it was incredibly fast!!! and we got a good price for that!!!

I talked to dr.Julia and she said the tourniquets are more necessary. There's also a need for cold meds - it's getting cold and guys are starting to get sick.

Well as a result we have a looong list of meds - cold meds, antibiotics, painkillers, some meds for stomach, sedative meds, meds to help with concussion/contusions... it's all really necessary and could save someone's health or life.

So i'm gonna start buying this stuff. There's still some money left over from paying for the tourniquets.

*sorry but the list is not in English, i was writing for myself i wouldn't forget something 

Thanks to everyone for your help and support 

The poster is great :)  Keep up the good work you crazy kids!

Hi everyone! 

I received the tourniquets yesterday 

Report "Adopt a medic" below

Now as i said earlier i'm gonna start buying meds 

This morning Bill texted me that we have some more donations  and we're planning to use them for that as well 

Thanks you all!!! 

Goooood morning and happy monday everyone!

SO! 

wait.  let me post the chart first:

Ok, so not much change in the "Mothers and Baby fund", the transfer for that will start tomorrow and will be sent to Vika.

GoFundMe is cocked and ready, I've been mentally preparing myself for this as the opening of that will mark my last "slow week" for a LOOOOOOONG time.  It's funny that prior to this I thought you just opened these things and people would pour money in, and you'd walk away with lots of funds with no effort.  Boy was I wrong about that one!   So yeah.  Hopefully I've got my ducks sufficiently in a row for that.  This, of course, will benefit our december toy drive to our 60 children in Dnipro.  And just judging by the lack of certain munitions being used by the russians this last month or os, I think the Ukrainian infrastructure is going to take an absolute pounding this winter,.  I want to make sure these toys bring a ray of sunshine and warmth with them to all the kids they're going to.

Ira's School and Art Supplies is currently waiting a response.  As I was typing this update I remembered that she was still working on getting books to the school and possibly had some parents lined up to help drive them across the border.  I just wrote to her to check on the success of that operation, and offer our support if she needs it.

Baby Clothes, etc is still closed due to the lack of a cheap freight forwarding option.  If the firefighter supplies don't work out, I may open up our "one time shot" with the APO box to let someone ship something they've collected instead.  My idea of using baked good as a bribe is working and I think I have a willing party (waiting to ask directly until we're certain we have a box to ship)

ooh!  Our Adopt a Medic is going well!  So I still have the box of supplies, boots, socks, thermals, etc.  That's going into country very soon, but we're up to $147 in our paypal ($97 in the fundraiser, and $50 in the paypal account) but we've also received nearly $400 locally!  I've been sending it to VikkiDp as I've been getting it, and it will be added to the  change we had left over from the tourniquets.  This has me super excited as there are so many little things she needs (like cold/flu medicine) that cost so little but do so much (an ounce of prevention, and all that). 

And Stuffie Delivery.  I still have a box of stuffies.  This will accompany me in our december trip. 

Good times, everyone.

Currently Open:

Vikki's "Mothers and Children" (Monthly Sustainment):  paypal@gmail address (Hungarian Forint)

Julia, our "adopted" medic:  https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8YJpyYxcbF

Hungarian P.O. Box address available for any parties interested in shipping items directly to me in Hungary (PM for address)

Firefighting Collection for first responders in Ukraine

Currently being worked on:

I've removed the links to the Hospitallers Amazon wishlists due to ongoing issues on their end.  They can not seem to deliver what we need to neither my current address nor my PO box.  

If the Amazon.com situation changes, I'll repost the lists here.

Rebeka M. Collection is ongoing.   When I set up the PO box locally, it was to give her a private address for her supporters to send small items to.  I could then collect those items into a larger delivery and send them to her all at once.  I have her post details in Ukraine and still plan to keep this open.  She has my address and knows that it is open for her to use.  In the event that I do receive something for her, I will still make good on the promise to deliver but am otherwise considering her to have moved on to other things.

Currently Closed:

GoFundMe:  Expect this channel to open on the 1st of November for our Christmas run.

Hospitallers Battalion/Rebekah M:  Contact lost, and I was unable to reestablish.  Effort moved to Dr. Julia

Kisgorbo Refugee Shelter:  Warm wishes to all who took refuge.  May you all find peace and prosperity wherever you are.

Social media accounts:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/510575651154518

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/dniproexpress/

Thank you everyone!

Hi everyone! 

Bill let me once again say you THANKS A LOT for all you doing!!!  and HUGE THANKS all of you guys and the people for supporting and helping all of our efforts!!!

It's REALLY important!!!

because of... because of... this war affected every Ukrainian family... each and every... someone is at the war, someone has relatives or friends at the frontline, someone's died, someone's wounded, someone's being held captive, someone's missing... someone has relatives or friends under occupation, someone went abroad and wants come back... someone has no place to go back to... too many sad stories... too many...

Sometimes it gets really hard with everything that's going on it seems like the world's gone mad and you just want to wake up and think it was just a bad dream, but it wasn't... it wasn't... unfortunately...

Sorry guys, i'm felling a little sad today, but anyway i'm gonna keep doing what i'm doing!!! and i'm very grateful for your help and support!!!

Good will win!!!

In reply to VikkiDp :

Vikki, there is not much we can do out here, other than send you stuff and listen, but we can do both of those things.

Can you tell us how you are doing? What is going well? What is not going well? What problems and frustrations are you facing?

You are doing amazing things, but even still, you are allowed to have bad days. You can go ahead and complain to us. Even if it is something we can't help with, we can still listen.

In reply to Hungary Bill (Forum Supporter) :

I think the Ukrainian infrastructure is going to take an absolute pounding this winter

Unfortunately, it's already happening - for the last couple weeks or so, the shelling and attacks have intensified and there are hits on infrastructure, airfields, and civilian target.

Honestly, it's a little scared of what  might happen in this winter - the last one was exhausting a little bit.

I want to make sure these toys bring a ray of sunshine and warmth with them to all the kids they're going to.

ohhh, man, you're making me cry 

What else knocked me out  - the war in Israel - I have many friends who have lived there for a long time and many who went there when the war in Ukraine started  

I'm following the tread about this topic too and i'm thinking to write some my thoughts about that.

but first i should write my part of the August run story  will be soon 

In reply to VikkiDp :

You are always more than welcome Vikki! 

I'll be honest, I had an absolutely awful month this month.  I wasn't getting the rest I needed, and I just didn't have any energy to do anything.  Like you said, "it seems like the world's gone mad and you just want to wake up and think it was a bad dream".  I would wake up at 4am just like I usually do on this shift, but I never got any work done to the truck.  Most of the time I wouldn't even go outside.  Some mornings I would wake up and just fall back asleep on the couch.  The more I let things go, the further behind I felt, and the less energy I had to get caught back up.

But I'd set my alarm again for 4am the next day and tell myself the same thing you said "someone is at the war, someone has relatives or friends at the frontline, someone's died, someone's wounded, someone's being held captive, someone's missing... someone has relatives or friends under occupation, someone went abroad and wants come back... someone has no place to go back to...", I would tell myself it wasn't fair that I get to sit down, and that I needed to find the motivation to get back to work and I'd repeat it all again the next day feeling none the better.

I'd blame the changing weather.  Maybe it was raining, maybe it was very windy, something must be wrong with the coffee machine because I never feel like I could drink enough each morning.  But really it was just burnout.  I think it hit especially hard this month because I was also trying to keep up with the developments in Israel.  In the end, I just had to block it out.  I only have so much energy, and even that weighs on me.

This last week, I've been focused more on resting and it's been helping a lot.  I've been going to bed earlier (around 8:30) and waking up later (5:30).  I can already feel the difference.  Things I let slip are getting organized again.  I'm about to change shifts again, which means I'll have the afternoons entirely free to work on the truck and our next run. 

Anyhoo, I guess the point I'm trying to make (and it's the one thing I learned from this month) is none of us are going to do anyone any good if we burn ourselves out.  (and this is for anyone reading this)  If you need a break, then take it.  If you're exhausted, then sit down.  None of us, and nothing we have is infinite.   Please watch your mental health through this and take time to re-charge your batteries (and I'm only ever a phone call away, Vikki). 

With that is some good news though.  A big chunk of change just hit our "Adopt a Medic" fund.  I can't wait to post that update next Monday but wont spoil it for you before then

Take care, you guys

Thank you Matthew, thank you Bill 

Just sometimes i get tired of everything going on(it just builds up drop by drop) or something happens that knocks me out and i agree, yeah, everyone has bad days.

I try not to read too much news - you can drown in it  but in general, i follow what's going on and read summaries from sources I can trust.

And i read the threads here - analytics from O2 and aircooled  it's interesting  

The history books are still waiting for me to read them 

I would wake up at 4am

whenever I see this wake up time  those are my BIG eyes, ha-ha - mission impossible for me, only if i face the sunrise and go back to sleep 

and coffee doesn't work for me anymore - go to bed after a big mug of coffee - ha, that's easy 

but seriously, i try to use every way(possible and available) i can to be okay.

I already feel much better today 

One of the reason is

With that is some good news though.  A big chunk of change just hit our "Adopt a Medic" fund.  I can't wait to post that update next Monday but wont spoil it for you before then 

Work on it is already underway!!!

Crossed your fingers guys 

Ok, still working on getting back on this horse.  I do have a truck update.

The first is, my dice died:

I don't remember which GRM game I got them in, but since that time they've served faithfully as my combination "inclinometer/G-force meter".  But alas, all good things must come to an end.

Actually, thinking back I probably could have just grabbed a hot glue gun and fixed it but I thought it was time for them to go.

On the plus side, I think I made mention that I sent off a letter with photos to the CEO of Toyota (yeah, I have no shame).  Well I got a letter back with a small gift inside!

Goodby old broken hacksaw keychain, hello new leather Toyota keychain!

This next one is why I'm convinced I'd never make it as a real mechanic.  Mostly because even the most "plug and play" stuff never works for me the first time.  I call this "ye olde window switch":

 

So that's the old switch.  As I mentioned, it fell apart on a detour through an unimproved road on the last trip.  I purchased a second hand unit from a first-gen 4-Runner facebook group, and it didn't work when I plugged it in.

Taking it apart, I kind of found out why (It was full of grease and other gunk)

Lucky for me, since mine had already fallen apart I was well versed in how to take these things apart so I could clean out the guts.  As you can see in the last photo, it looks like thing are working, but of course we have to check:

Good times!

Guys.  Gonna be a busy one.  Truck is dead and the Mazda's starter just gave up the ghost.  Please pardon the copy/paste below.  What's important is everything got delivered, and I had already scheduled this week off from work for exactly this sort of scenario.

Here goes:

Left my house at 4am and by 8am yesterday, it became undeniably apparent that my coolant leak must be internal to one of the cylinders.  By noon there was a bit of a misfire off of WOT.  Flat footed and still in Slovakia, the truck would only but hold 120kph on flat ground.  Sometimes up slight hills.  When I hit the border on the way back I had to pop my radiator cap to bleed pressure so coolant wouldn't leak into the cyl while the engine was off.  4 hours from home the engine was pushing out nearly a liter of coolant per hour, with a noticeable loss of power.  And at 4am, I pulled into my driveway and removed the radiator cap for the last time.

24-hours at a non-stop run with a failing head gasket, but she got the goods sent and then got me home.  Today I'll remove the head to assess the damage.  We'll fix what's broke and then be ready for our Christmas run.

I'll be honest, if the russians hadn't hit Emma's Road to Relief truck with the anti-tank missile, I'd have turned around as soon as I knew something was off.  But...  well, they did.  So here we are.

Full report to follow.

Hi everyone 

There's so much GREAT news!!! but there are two difficulties - which one to start telling with and i have not enough time to tell about it all at once 

The main thing is all the boxes for dr.Julia (and something else ) have delivered to Dnipro  and it's awesome news!!!

on the other hand - the truck broke down and it's serious thing  and it's upsetting news (Bill i have no doubt  that you'll do everything possible and impossible to fix this poor girl )

Hmmm... well... let's start in order 

i've already written about buying tourniquets 

then i got the next transfers to "Adopt a medic" fund  and it made it possible to order all the medicine on the list from dr.Julia 

This looooong list went to the pharmacy immediately and on Friday i picked up a HUGE box of all we needed!!!

Perfect!!! because on Saturday Bill was planning the trip to send all the rest stuff 

What is it???

What's going on???

Hi everyone!!! 

Well, let's continue... today we're gonna talk about "Moms and kids" fund 

The money came in on Friday and i got to work right immediately  because day or two before a few moms asked me for help and Sergei has eaten all his pills.

-Translation-

Hello Vika. We're doing well so far, nothing new. If is it possible really need baby food for my baby-boy.

-Translation-

Now we're not getting any humanitarian aid at all. We had a little help before and we could ask for baby food. Now it's very difficult with it.

(then the name of the baby food and words of gratitude for help and support are written below) 

Well, the medicine for Sergey - ordered, paid and picked up on Friday - the same day!!! 

it's just part of the pile of pills he has to take every day.

Baby food, baby formula and diapers have ordered for two families - these are two-baby girls and one baby-boys.

Now all of these things are on their way to their recipients 

The fund report 

One of these moms also asked if we could help with winter clothes and shoes for her little daughter.

-Translation-

May i ask you if you know anyone who gives away kids winter clothes? it's for my eldest daughter. It's very hard to find something affordable. 

Second hand clothes are selling for such big prices. Thank you very much.

Thank you guys for your help and support!!! as you see it's very important and needed 

To be continued...