Help Ira's family in Ukraine

Hi, I'm Shelley and this is Ira, who's been my very dear friend for the past decade. You may remember her as a model from various Loops and Knit Stars patterns. She's also a knitter and has helped pack lots of LoopsClub "blue bag" kits through the years - always as a favor to me.

 

Ira is from Ukraine. She now lives in Tulsa, coaches at LaFortune Tennis Center and is studying to be a nurse. She moved here from Ukraine to attend college and has stayed on to make her home here. Her family visits her often (we've had great dinners together, they are wonderful people!) and she goes home as often as she can - or at least, she used to before the horrible aggression against her home country began.

 

The rest of Ira's family is still in Ukraine and unable to leave (scroll down for photos).

 

Her brother and his wife, Igor and Roksolana, are due with their second child in 3 weeks. So terrifying - especially since a maternity hospital was just targeted and bombed this week.

 

Ira's father, Yuiry, usually works as a tennis referee, and her brother as a tennis coach, but of course there are no tournaments to officiate or lessons to give.

 

Her mother, Svitlana, usually works as a tour guide and interpreter, and of course no one is coming for tours.

 

They had some money saved, but it's running out at the end of the month.

 

They can't leave Ukraine because both men are required to stay in the country to be available to fight if needed. Plus Ira's elderly grandparents are still there and unable to travel, even if they could get out of the country.

 

We see the horrific images on the news, but I hadn't stopped to think about the people that simply can't work - their income has dried up. So this is a tangible way we can help.

 

Everything raised will be transferred to Ira, who will give all of the money to her family in whichever currency is most useful to them at that time.

 

Thank you for your help!

xoxo
Shelley and the Knit Stars team