Our tango communities, large and small, are interconnected throughout the world. We are only one embrace away from each other. As the founder of a small tango community outside of DC, my heart was drawn to the pleas of a fellow and former DC tango teacher and organizer, Katya Merezhinsky. Katya is an American of Ukrainian descent and has been in Ukraine for the last six months. She was in Lviv the night the war broke out, and fled the country at the start of the invasion. A sliver of her story was published in the Washington Post on March 2nd.
Katya has since returned to the area to aid refugees and assist in finding necessary supplies for the West Ukraine territorial-defense force – in particular a subdivision defending the land point of access to Kyiv. "The Ukrainian defense forces desperately need help. People are fighting without basic gear; many are fighting with their bare hands. These particular divisions haven't gotten a break. Most of them have small children, many whom we helped across the border."
Donations that have poured in have resulted in an excess of items for children and refugees. But the defense forces are in dire need as well: jackets, socks, gloves, boots, underwear, bullet proof vests, helmets, drones, night vision devices, radios, and so on (NOT weapons or ammunition). Katya is doing everything possible to purchase and deliver such supplies to these men and women and has created a network of suppliers from whom to purchase. BUT YOUR IMMEDIATE HELP IS NEEDED!
100% of your donation will go towards buying this life-saving gear in the neighboring countries and sending it directly to these defense forces. Let’s all come together in this difficult time and help these citizen armies are on the front line of defending the Western world and values.
To get updates, please like the 'Embrace Ukraine' FB page.
Abrazos,
Julie McCormick
Founder and Chief Embellishment Officer
Annapolis Tango / Fábrica Annapolis