Elmhurst's Connections To Ukraine

ELMHURST, IL — Elmhurst's mayor wore a blue shirt and yellow tie at Monday's City Council meeting.

It was no random choice — the colors represent the Ukrainian flag.

At the meeting, Mayor Scott Levin announced the city was creating a page on its website to list vetted ways to donate money to help Ukrainians. That page was created Tuesday.

He said the city was also trying to arrange centers where people can drop off items to help the victims of the Russian invasion.

"I know we have had a lot of polarized political issues," Levin said. "I hope we can all get behind this one."

Alderman Jacob Hill, who works at Elmhurst University, said he found out that a student veteran withdrew from his classes over the weekend and headed to Ukraine to support the people directly.

Alderwoman Jennifer Veremis said three of her neighbors in the Pick subdivision are of Ukrainian descent. They are Alexa Marcyniuk-Umbs, her husband Jason Umbs and her father George Marcyniuk.

Alexa, she said, is supplying neighbors with blue and yellow ribbons, light bulbs and pins, which aldermen were wearing.

"There has been an outpouring of kindness and support, and several trees are wrapped with ribbons. And the front of our homes are lit in blue and yellow," Veremis said.

Over the weekend, Levin, Veremis, Alderman Chris Jensen, state Rep. Deanne Mazzochi, the Elmhurst Independent and several residents gathered in the Oakland Grove parkway to thank Alexa and her family for their continued mission.

Jensen told the council that the news from Ukraine was difficult to watch and read.

"The tragedy gets worse by the day, and it's easy to feel hopeless," Jensen said. "However, embedded in the awful news of devastation are the stories of the Ukrainian people — their determination, compassion, kindness, self-sacrifice, all things I grew up seeing in my Ukrainian grandfather. Ultimately, Ukraine will prevail, and the Ukrainian people will rebuild. But they will need our help."