A few words from California Rhythms

Dear Supporter,

In these last two weeks, the whole world changed again! Not due to a deadly virus, but rather attacks on a country led by a deadly dictator that thinks that killing the innocent and setting fully military on a sovereign country is okay when it is truly not.  In the last 16 days, the rest of the civilized world has confirmed how unbelievable and cruel these attacks on innocent civilians are.

Three of our beloved Coaches Ira, Natasha, and Kateryna are all from Ukraine. Our coaches play such a huge role in our gymnasts' lives, inspiring, mentoring, and guiding our girls to succeed and achieve the best possible.  They are always here for us when we are in need, so we must be here for them when they need it most. The current level of deprivation, loss of life, and loss of cities in Ukraine are very unbearable to witness from afar.  Their home and families are in Kharkiv and Dnepropetrovsk. What they are hearing and witnessing through constant contact with their families, hour by hour, is heartbreakingly unbearable for them to from afar - watching the level of the danger their sisters/brothers/moms/dads and extended family are in every minute of every day.  All families are living underground in basements and subways to try to stay out of the line of fire.  Daily they watch helplessly as the lives they knew, the neighborhoods they roamed in their youth, the buildings where friends and colleagues lived and worked, crumbled into a pile of rubble. 

They are ever so proud of their country and its citizens and more than anything they want to be able to do something.  Families of our gymnastics club have been talking too and of course, even our young gymnasts are concerned and sympathetic by what they hear and by what they see that their Coaches are going through.  So, what CAN WE DO?  

Well, a small group of families in the club (and with our club’s blessing) think that if they can help Ira, Natasha and Kateryna make a difference to their loved ones back home, it will lend reason and purpose to why they are here and safe right now in contrast to what their families are experiencing.  Therefore, a small group has set up this Go Fund page and all donations will be handed to the three coaches to send to their families back home to purchase the necessities they need to survive this war being waged upon them.  Like everyone, they all want to live to see the day when peace will again prevail in Ukraine.  So please find it in your hearts to help the Coaches reach out to their families with a gift of support from the families of California Rhythms.  Your wishes for peace and your donations “from families to families” will be so well appreciated I know.  And do please feel free to share this initiative with your own friends and family members!

Much love and thanks to all of you,

CALIFORNIA RHYTHMS