Students Organize Ukraine Donation, Supply Drive In Buffalo Grove

BUFFALO GROVE, IL — For the past two weeks, the eyes and ears of the world have been focused on the happenings in Ukraine following the Russian invasion of the country. Locally, students like Maya Belorusskiy are trying to help in any way they can.

The Buffalo Grove High School sophomore reached out to the school's International Relations Club, for which she's the vice president, and proposed starting a donation and supply drive for those most impacted overseas.

"It was truly nerve-wracking to see a conflict unfold thousands of miles away, and to sense the feeling of helplessness that came right along with it," Belorusskiy told Patch. "The thousands of people left displaced because of the violence weighed on my mind greatly, pushing me to seek a means of helping. While I have been expanding my views on the political aspect of this crisis personally, I made sure to steer the collective reaction of the club towards the humanitarian aspects."

The drive, which began Wednesday, will run through Wednesday, March 16. All supply donations will be collected inside the main entrance at Door 1. Donation hours will run from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., excluding Saturday and Sunday.

Senior Troy Kowalski, who co-founded the International Relations Club with Veronika Manukian, said members of the club have been following the news in Ukraine constantly.

"The crisis in Ukraine is a true disaster," Kowalski said. "Here at home, we could never imagine any sort of conflict on the scale that Ukraine is experiencing."

Kowalski said volunteers from the club have delivered goods to local partners, volunteered at a monetary donation and spread the word to get donations. He said they have been in contact with the community, neighboring/feeder districts, and local businesses, to "bring people together during these challenging times."

The members of the International Relations Club said the drive is off to a good start.

"Given that the items will be transported overseas, we have mostly been collecting medical supplies, personal hygiene products, clothes, and non-perishable food items," Belorusskiy said. “Currently, items such as baby food/formula, first aid kits, feminine hygiene products, blankets, and backpacks/suitcases are headlining our collections."

She said the list was taken from information sent out by Meest Karpaty, the transport facility that the club will be donating the collected supplies to.

One note, all clothes donated must be new. The products and supplies needed are:

Personal Hygiene Products

• Travel-sized toothpaste
• Toothbrushes
• Wipes
• Travel-sized hand sanitizer
• Individually wrapped soap
• Feminine hygiene products
• Deodorant

Safety/Wellness Supplies

• Bandaids
• First Aid kits
• Antibacterial ointment
• Gloves
• Aspirin/Bayern
• Tylenol/Acetaminophen
• Pepto-Bismol pills
• Safety pins
• Vaseline (small container)
• Tweezers
• Rolled gauze
• Saline eye drops
• Burn Aid
• BleedStop First Aid Powder
• Elastic Bandage

Children’s Supplies

• Baby food
• Baby formula
• Childrens socks/underwear
• Diapers
• Baby bottles
• Small blankets

Clothing/Other

• Emergency Blankets
• Backpacks (10” x 19” x 14”)
• Adult socks/underwear