Connection and Compassion
The incredible story of compassion that grew out of the connection of people in Rotary, Nebraska and Ukraine.
Ewon Gusanu was just a junior in high school when he arrived in Lincoln, Nebraska from Moldova as a Rotary Exchange student. He had no idea of how that fateful Rotary adventure would ultimately lead to a key role in building an orphanage in Central Ukraine. Years later, Steve Glenn, Rotary member and owner of a successful travel company in Lincoln made a decision to leverage his company’s capabilities and provide rooms in a hotel in Warsaw, Poland for Ukrainian refugees. Ewon and Steve are just two of the many Rotary connections in Lincoln, Nebraska that played a part in the construction of the Child of Light Orphanage in central Ukraine which will receive its first children later this year.
In 2001, when Harlow Hyde agreed to serve as a Youth Exchange Officer for Eastern Nebraska’s Rotary District 5650, he was at the time a member of Lincoln’s Rotary 14, one of the oldest clubs in the world. A year later, when he was contacted about hosting a high school student from Moldova, his response was “Sure! Why not? By the way, where is Moldova?” Hyde, who is now a member of Rotary in DeLand, Florida, not only helped coordinate Gusanu’s time in Nebraska, using his connections, he arranged a tuition-free enrollment at Lincoln Christian School. For nearly 100 years, Rotary clubs around the world have coordinated the exchange of high school students. Young men and women from one country are exchanged with students in another country and hosted by Rotarians on both ends.
“After my first year as an exchange student, having worked hard academically and embraced American culture,” Gusanu said, “I was given the opportunity to return to Lincoln Christian High School as a senior and graduate with a U.S. high school diploma.” That opened the door for him to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. It was at UNL where he met and eventually married his wife Anna. Her family had immigrated to Nebraska from Ukraine in the late 1990s. “Together we have 4 children. Our shared journeys, mine from Moldova and hers from Ukraine, have shaped not only who we are, but also the passion and purpose behind the work we are committed to doing for children in Ukraine today.”
When Steve Glenn learned of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and heard how many were fleeing into Poland, he arranged to rent rooms in a hotel. That made it possible for refugees to get a good night’s sleep, clean up after their harrowing journey and grab a good meal or two before moving on. He called on fellow Rotarians and friends from church to travel to Warsaw and act as personal hosts for the refugees. Among the friends were Penne and John Hanus of Lincoln.
It was that hotel that John Grinvalds went to, seeking information about what was happening in Ukraine. He was a fledgling reporter for a newspaper in Nebraska at the time. He paid his own way to Ukraine as a journalist. Because air traffic into Ukraine was halted, he went to Warsaw. That’s where he connected with Penne and John from Nebraska. They eventually connected him with Gusanu through their affiliation with Lincoln Christian School. Grinvalds and Gusanu have become good friends. At a recent meeting of Rotary 14, the two of them presented the story about the connection between Lincoln, Nebraska and Motyzhyn, Ukraine and the compassion being shown through the orphanage that will open soon.
When Grinvalds did travel into Ukraine, he made sure to stop at the orphanage. Photos and video he took have been helpful raising money for the project. Since returning, he’s also produced several video reports “Wounds of War” for KETV, the Nebraska television station where he now works. He met children who lost their parents and hope for their future. That’s driven him to help tell their story and raise money for the orphanage.
Another Ukrainian family from Lincoln was moved to help people ravaged by war in their home country. Mykola and Elena Chucha, (Elena is a cousin of Anna’s) have returned to Ukraine with their 4 children to do what they can to help with the orphanage and other needs people have. They’re facing a grim challenge back in their home country. They partnered with Ewon and Anna to raise money to build the orphanage.
Lincoln has welcomed a number of immigrants and refugees from Ukraine in recent years and is home to a very active Ukrainian church House of Prayer. A member of that church, Nadia Peterchuk reached out to a retired reporter/professor and urged him to help raise funds for the orphanage. Joe Starita said yes and helped Ewon, John and the Child of Light nonprofit in Lincoln connect with the Lozier Foundation in Omaha. The leaders of the foundation were so moved by the story, they provided a significant donation to complete construction, furnish the kitchen and bedrooms so orphans can begin to enjoy more stability in their lives.
As a way of saying thank you to the Lozier Foundation, the Gusanu family asked Ukrainian children in Lincoln to write thank you notes. While the children in Lincoln are not orphans, they understand what it’s like to have your home country invaded. Recently Ewon and Anna along with Joe presented those cards and other thank you gifts to the employees of the foundation. Knowing the good that their funds will be doing made for an emotional afternoon for the Foundation staff.
This story would not have happened without the Rotary Youth Exchange experience that brought Ewon Gusanu to Nebraska. It would not have happened without the compassionate action of Rotarian Steve Glenn reaching out to help Ukrainian refugees. And it would not have happened without people in Nebraska like Joe Starita and the Lozier Foundation seeing a need and moving to help in any way they could. It’s a true testimony of the value of reaching out to help and seeing lives changed as a result.
You’re invited to watch a video in which Ewon Gusanu and John Grinvalds unfold the incredible story of how seemingly disconnected people from Lincoln, Nebraska and Lincoln’s Rotary 14 helped make this project a reality.
Story and video by Randy Bretz, Member of Rotary 14, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
