GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan — Friday marks one year since Russia sent 200,000 soldiers into Ukraine. On this one-year reflection of the war, the West Michigan community pledges to continue helping the war-torn country with a candlelight vigil planned on Gillette Bridge in Downtown Grand Rapids.
Life in Ukraine continues to go on despite the war. Students go to class, people go to work and to restaurants. But it doesn't mean life has been easy.
"It's very heartbreaking. It really wears you down emotionally and physically," Grand Rapids resident Anna Kovalenko said.
Anna is from Cherkasy, a city in central Ukraine. She moved to the U.S. when she was 26-years-old with her husband Oleksander (Alex) Kovalenko. The rest of her family is still in Ukraine and she worries about her mom constantly.
"They still have air raid sirens every day throughout the day, several times, and she can hear us missiles flying over the city from time to time," Anna said.
Those sirens and that fear is what drove Anna to help the people of Ukraine over 5,000 miles away, in West Michigan.
She's been fundraising at local silent art auctions, collecting donations, raising thousands of dollars for those in the war-torn country. Because she says she can't sit back and do nothing.
"I just can't do otherwise," Anna said through tears.
Anna's husband Alex served 10 years as a naval officer in the United States Navy and is heartbroken by what he's seeing in his home country.
“It's a lot of pain and disbelief," he said.
Alex says he's proud of his wife and her efforts to help the people of Ukraine.
"It really warms my heart that she's able to do that," Alex said. "It gives her meaning and gives meaning to other people as well."
And Anna is not alone. West Michigan businesses and community members have all rallied together throughout 2022 to support Ukraine.
Bob Wood is a former educator at Muskegon Community College, and is now an educator at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv. He decided to head oversees and teach for a semester after visiting last year and feeling compelled to do more.
"I said I'm just gonna go...I'm going to go and be of use. That was the goal," he said.
People like Wood and Anna say they will continue their efforts in helping Ukraine for as long as they need to, but hope it's not for too much longer.
"The quicker we can end this war, the quicker the world can move on to live in the normal life with normal values, democratic values without the supply chain issues and the economical disasters that have happened as a result of the war," Alex said. "We are united, we are strong, we will get through this together."
Anna adds that if you'd like to offer assistance to the local Ukrainian community or the refugees in Ukraine you can personally reach out to her at anna9kovalenko@gmail.com
A candlelight vigil to remember the lives lost will take place in downtown Grand Rapids at Gillett Bridge Friday, February 24 at 6 p.m.
