In March, about a month after the Russian invasion of Ukraine started, the Rhinelander Kiwanis Club launched an effort to help people impacted by the war.
It was a different kind of fundraising effort than anything the Rhinelander group had attempted before says Kiwanis member Ryan Hetland.
“This was in the heart of what we do, we had just not had a circumstance like this come up before,” said Hetland.
The Rhinelander Kiwanis Club has held fundraisers before, but that money has always stayed local.
This time the club asked community members to contribute money to send to Kiwanis International to support Ukrainians displaced by the war.
“It is about the most unselfish act I’ve ever seen. Nobody’s name is going up on a building or a plaque. These are just donations and money being sent overseas to people we don’t know. It’s just amazing,” said Hetland.
The Kiwanis Club set a goal of $10,000.
In the five months, it raised more than $28,000.
All that money is sent to the Kiwanis International Foundation in Luxemburg. It’s used to buy and distribute things like pallets food, water, diapers, clothing, and battery packs.
“Thank you to everyone that has helped make this happen. The need is not going away. Our program is going to end soon, but our program is going to end soon, other programs out there, UNICEF specifically, that’s going to have ongoing help for the refugees,” said Hetland.
There is still time to donate through the Rhinelander Kiwanis Club’s Ukraine Relief Effort.
Donations can be made at People’s State Bank, just ask to donate to the Rhinelander Kiwanis Club’s Ukraine Relief campaign.
People can also send a check to the Rhinelander Kiwanis Club, PO Box 631, Rhinelander, WI, 54501. Hetland says to put “Ukraine” or “Ukraine Relief” in the memo line and make the check out to the Rhinelander Kiwanis Club.
