RICHMOND, Ky. — An American-Ukrainian family has escaped the war-torn parts of Ukraine. They’re now settling in the states, choosing to remain private as they adjust to living here in Kentucky.

What You Need To Know

  • Veterans in Madison County are helping collect donations

  • It’s to help a family fleeing Ukraine

  • One member of the family is a veteran and Madison County Native

  • Madison County Veterans Committee is collecting furniture, clothes and more

They declined to talk to the media. But a veteran’s group in Madison County is helping collect donations, from furniture to clothing and more, to furnish their home.

“That’s a sugar bowl sugar cup, or something I’m not sure,” said Michael Boyd, chairman of the Madison County Veterans Committee. “A lot of necessary items, especially if you if you’ve lost everything you had, and you didn’t bring it with you, you know.”

He’s sorting through items in boxes of generous donations contributed by people in the central Kentucky area.

“We received a lot of glassware, those glasses lamps, cups,” Boyd said.

He said this collection will benefit a Madison County native and veteran who lived with his Ukrainian wife and son for ten years there, before making a daring escape for their freedom.

“They had to take a taxi trip. He said it’s about the distance from here to Atlanta. So he was on the taxi trip, and then he was held up trying to get the paperwork to bring his wife with them as well,” Boyd said.

Now in the Commonwealth, Boyd and other veterans are helping by collecting basic needs.

“It’s always important to help people, period, whether they’re veterans or not,” Boyd said. “So happened that when we got contacted about the veteran coming in from Ukraine and his family, of course, we wanted to jump on and help out in any way we could,” Boyd said.

Boyd is a veteran himself, and shared his thoughts on the war taking place in Europe.

“It’s not a good thing, just to invade a country, just to invade, and take over is never good,” Boyd said. “We’ve been through several wars and skirmishes and issues like that, keeping that from happening to other countries in the past.”

The refugee family has beds, but Boyd said they need dressers and other items as they adjust to life in the states.

“He’s trying to get his phone set up before it’s taken off at the international level,” Boyd said.

If you’re interested in helping, monetary donations are being accepted. Please make them out to Madison County Veterans Committee, 1215 W. Main St, Richmond, KY, 40475; reference Ukraine Refugee Assistance.

Items can be dropped off at the same location. 

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