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Picture equipped, Jack Knowlden
This picture reveals the refugee camp in Medyka, Poland, the place some Ukrainians are going to flee the violence of their nation introduced on by the Russian invasion. Jack Knowlden of Ogden traveled to the realm to supply assist and the picture is from a video he took of the realm on Sunday, March 20, 2022.
After seeing information experiences of Ukrainian youngsters displaced to Poland by the combating of their dwelling nation, Ogden businessman Jack Knowlden felt pushed to motion.
“I simply couldn’t put the pictures out of my head,” he mentioned. He’s the daddy of two youngsters, aged 2 and 9, and the pictures of the refugee youngsters and their mothers, additionally compelled out of Ukraine as a result of Russian invasion, struck a chord. Most Ukrainian males have stayed put to combat off the Russians.
Past that, dwelling in relative consolation, he felt pangs seeing the struggling of the Ukrainians. His two companies, Skin It Tattoo shops, are doing nicely, and he’s capable of journey and luxuriate in life. “I simply felt responsible by omission,” he mentioned.
So what do you do? Slightly than indulge in helplessness, Knowlden purchased a airplane ticket to Europe, launched a Venmo account to solicit donations and now finds himself touring between Poland and Ukraine, serving to these in want. He tapped earnings from the latest sale of a Camaro that had been sitting in his storage to cowl his journey prices, however has acquired a powerful outpouring of assist from Ogdenites, Utahns and others and is utilizing their donations to purchase items in Poland to assist Ukraine and Ukrainians.
“So long as it’s coming in, I’ll preserve spending it,” he informed the Normal-Examiner by cellphone from Medyka, Poland, which sits on the Ukrainian border and is receiving an inflow of Ukrainian refugees. “I simply felt it was time to provide again.”
Picture equipped, Jack Knowlden
Jack Knowlden, an Ogden businessman, traveled to Poland and Ukraine to assist Ukrainians there. Right here, he is proven in a screengrab from a video he made Monday, March 21, 2022, whereas in Lviv, Ukraine.
He had acquired round $8,000 in donations as of final Friday.
Knowlden left Utah on March 15, arrived in Poland the subsequent day and plans to remain by way of the tip of the month, although the exact timing of his return will rely upon the movement of donations. He mentioned he had been focusing his efforts at a refugee camp in Medyka, offering meals and clothes to displaced Ukrainians. He mentioned in a message to the Normal-Examiner on Monday that he had shifted gears, aiming to assist Ukrainians nonetheless in Ukraine.
“Now I switched to much-needed medical and navy provides to Lviv,” Knowlden mentioned, referencing the western Ukrainian metropolis that Russian forces have lately began focusing on. “Camouflage, bulletproof vests, canteens, and so on. No weapons. Extra water, canned meals, bandages, drugs.”
He’s posting accounts of his actions in Jap Europe to Facebook and Instagram, and in a submit on Monday he supplied a glimpse of Lviv.
“Markets are open, individuals are out,” he mentioned, narrating a video he took of himself strolling by way of a market space within the metropolis. “You possibly can see individuals are going about their enterprise. Lots of people are defiant to surrender their lifestyle.”
Picture equipped, Jack Knowlden
Jack Knowlden, an Ogden businessman, traveled to Poland and Ukraine to assist Ukrainians there in mild of the Russian invasion. This picture is a screengrab from a video he made Monday, March 21, 2022, whereas in Lviv, Ukraine.
He has linked with others from round Europe who, like him, traveled to the realm wanting to help Ukraine and Ukrainians, he mentioned. The contingent he’s a part of introduced a truckload of water to Lviv on Monday and he mentioned that journey will assist pave the best way for added assist to the Ukrainian metropolis.
“What they don’t have is medical provides, navy provides, medicines, stuff like that, in order that’s what I’m going to be choosing up now, shopping for over on the refugee camp,” he mentioned in his video.
He reported seeing armed navy individuals in Lviv and mentioned some within the metropolis “are type of edgy.” He could even begin vaping once more — he had give up final 12 months — “simply to calm my nerves a tad bit.”
By and enormous, although, he mentioned Lviv is comparatively protected and that he doesn’t intend to inject himself into the center of the battle with Russia. If issues begin getting “sketchy,” he’ll stick with Poland.
“I promised I’m not going to place myself at risk,” he informed the Normal-Examiner. “I’m right here to assist individuals. I’m not right here to get within the conflict.”
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- This picture reveals the refugee camp in Medyka, Poland, the place some Ukrainians are going to flee the violence of their nation introduced on by the Russian invasion. Jack Knowlden of Ogden traveled to the realm to supply assist and the picture is from a video he took of the realm on Sunday, March 20, 2022.
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- Jack Knowlden, an Ogden businessman, traveled to Poland and Ukraine to assist Ukrainians there. Right here, he’s proven in a screengrab from a video he made Monday, March 21, 2022, whereas in Lviv, Ukraine.
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- Jack Knowlden, an Ogden businessman, traveled to Poland and Ukraine to assist Ukrainians there in mild of the Russian invasion. This picture is a screengrab from a video he made Monday, March 21, 2022, whereas in Lviv, Ukraine.
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