Dear Friends and Neighbors! Dear donors! Dear People of Good Will and Kind Heart!

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

If you were not able to attend this workshop last year, here is another chance to paint your own Easter Egg. Ukrainians are world famous for decorating Easter Eggs. BTW, they do not paint them. They “write” them. That is why they are called “PYSANKA”, which in Ukrainian comes from the verb “to write”. Each symbol means something. And each person decorating an Easter egg tells his or her own story of Easter. 

The workshop is free to the public. It will take place on campus in the Burrows building. When you walk towards the PSU library from College Ave via the Old Main Gate, the Burrows building is on your right immediately before the Paterno library. Walk in through the mail door. Room 157 is on the same floor, to your left.

Bring your kids and family to this fun-filled event. And if you have any questions, please let me know.

Happy Easter egg “writing”,

Svitlana


Please feel free to spread the news far and wide via social media.

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The spring is here, and so is a new benefit concert for Ukraine. Please join us on Saturday 23, 2024 for a benefit concert featuring VASYL POPADIUK, a Ukrainian violinist. Vasyl is known as the “Ukrainian Paganini”. He is a classically trained violinist from Ukraine, who currently lives in Ottawa, Canada. He plays 15 instruments. He is a founder of  the band “PapaDuke”, with whom he travels the world, playing music in world music styles, Latino, gypsy, and jazz. 

The concert will take place on the stage of the Performing Arts Center of the State College Area High School. The entrance to the Arts Center is at the back entrance of the High School.  The suggested price is $10 for an adult, and $5 for a student. Those who would like and are in the position to donate more, can do so before or after the concert. All donations will be used to provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine, including our sister-city of Nizhyn. Donations are accepted by cash, checks (to Sister’s Sister), Zelle or Venmo. 

In this critical time for Ukraine our support is vitally important for the Ukrainian people’s survival. Please bring your family, friends and neighbors to the concert on Saturday, March 23, at 7:00 pm. There are plenty of nice and comfortable seats in this outstanding  auditorium. The seats will be occupied on a “first come, first serve” basis. Sorry,  no food and no drinks are allowed in the Arts Center. Please, use the parking lot by the back entrance (keep right when entering the high school campus,  driving around the school building to the back entrance). 

Photo: Igor Latsanych

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Today, February 24, 2024, we commemorated 2 years of this nightmare. We wanted to thank everybody who was able to join us at the rally. We had a great turn out, very many Ukrainian and American flags, outstanding posters, and heartwarming words from Pastor Hryhoriy, Mayor Ezra Nanes, Councilmember Josh Portney,  Chair of the PSU  Ukrainian Society Igor Latsanych, Prof. Catherine Wanner, Prof. Olena Zolova, and others. We are also grateful to everyone who was thinking about coming but was not able to make it. Your thoughts were with us, as well.

This screenshot is from a video clip by the AP taken on the 2nd day of the war, February 25, 2022. A young girl VLADA hiding from bombs in the basement of an apartment building.
Photo: Prof. Michael Naydan
Pastor Hryhoriy praying for Ukraine.
Photo: Prof. Michael Naydan
Photo: Prof. Michael Naydan
Our youngest supporter NAZAR with his parents. Video: Svitlana Jones
Mayor Ezra Nanes addresses the rally participants. Photo: Prof. Michael Naydan
Photo: Prof. Michael Naydan
Photo: Prof. Michael Naydan
Photo: Michael Naydan
Photo: Svitlana Jones
Photo: Prof. Michael Naydan
Mayer of State College, Ezra Nanes.
Photo: Prof. Michael Naydan
Unissued diplomas for Ukrainian students who perished during the full scale invasion of Russia against Ukraine.
Photo: Prof. Michael Naydan
PSU students wave Ukraine and US flags.
Photo: Svitlana Jones

On Saturday, February 24, 2024, the world will witness the beginning of yet another year of the gruesome, ruthless, inhumane war fought by a country in the heart of Europe, Ukraine. This day will start the 3rd year of Russia’s imperialist claims to its neighbor, a sovereign country of Ukraine. The war that was planned to end in 3 days, continues into the 3rd year. Ukrainian brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, parents and grandparents keep on fighting for their freedom, for their survival, and for the future of all democracy. Events this week clearly demonstrate what a Russian victory would bring not just to Ukraine but to the entire world. 

Please join us at 2:00 pm on Saturday, February 24, 2024 in front of the Old Main Building for a rally commemorating the two horrific years of the full-fledged war against Ukraine.

Our sister city of Nizhyn sent us the video about the two grueling years of the full-fledged war. Here is the link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Rmt0vs8ebjfuWe5EYtlmCDpvZ3PePWp4/view?usp=drive_link

DECEMBER 24-25, 2023

The video is in Ukrainian: The administration and the students of the Children’s care facility sincerely thank STATE COLLEGE and the town’s residents for the gifts of sweets, books and office supply. T-H-A-N-K Y-O-U!!!

On December 25, 2023 the Ukrainian people celebrated Christmas together with the American people and the Western countries since the the change of the calendar from Julian to Gregorian calendar

DECEMBER 21, 2023

Fresh fruit, apples and mandarins, markers, pencils and diapers arrived in the first shipment

The documentary SCREAM OF MY BLOOD: A Gogol Bordello Story was viewed at the Phillipsburg Historic Theatre on Saturday, November 4, 2023, organized by the Centre Film Festival (see more here). The movie was about the GOGOL BORDELLO band created in NY by the Ukrainian immigrant Eugene Hutz. Eugene attended the event and performed several of the band’s songs accompanied by his violist Sergey Ryabtsev. Ukrainian food and drinks added a special flavor to the event. The funds raised were donated to the humanitarian assistance organization RAZOM. Thank you all who attended and who made this event possible!

Ukrainian dumplings – varenyky were delicious!
Potato pancakes – deruny were excellent!


Thanks to your generous support Sister’s Sister purchased and donated four wheel chairs and two adjustable stretchers to the General hospital of Nizhyn. The staff and the representative of the mayor’s office Iryna Hrozenko sent us the pictures of receiving the medical equipment. We are very grateful to everyone who help us make this happen!

Hospital personnel expresses their gratitude to the people of State College and the Sister’s Sister for provided assistance in medical equipment

***All pictures and videos are provided by the Mayor’s Office of Nizhyn, sister-city of State College.


Sister’s Sister purchased and donated the ceiling mounted lifter with the sling to the Nizhyn boarding school for disabled children. The superintendent Olena Harmash sent us a very nice Letter of Gratitude (please see below). The pictures show how the lifter was delivered and installed in one of the wards.

Letter of Gratitude from the Nizhyn Children’s Residential Facility in Ukrainian (please see the English translation)

The lifter in use

LETTER OF GRATITUDE

The Nizhyn Children’s Residential Facility is home to children who we call people with special needs. Indeed, they need special care, special treatment, and they crave respect, attention, and love. Allow me to thank you on behalf of the administration and our resident-children for the kind heart that lives in you, because you give a part of your soul to those who need it. After all, positive children’s emotions and smiles are the highest reward for your efforts.

Thank you for providing charitable assistance to children with disabilities in the palliative care unit in the form of a ward ceiling lift GH1.

It is by joining our efforts that we can bring joy and hope to those who need it.

Respectfully,

            Olena Harmash, Director

August 2023

Delivering the lifter.
Installing the ceiling rail
Training of the care personel

One of the two donated wheelchairs

Sister’s Sister Humanitarian Aid Fund has purchased two wheelchairs with the reinforced frame (as shown in the picture). Both chairs were donated to the Rehabilitation Center in Nizhyn hospital. The Center’s nurse, physical therapists and the patient made an appreciation video to the Sister’s Sister (in Ukrainian). They liked the wheelchairs very much.


The Sunflower Gratitude wall is located at 1402 South Atherton Street in State College, PA. It was painted by Ukrainian visitors, local residents of Ukrainian origin and their friends led by Dr. Ludmila Kuzmych. It is dedicated to the 32nd Independence Day of Ukraine.

Please, send us your pictures with the sunflowers wall to show your support for Ukraine.


YES, WE DID IT!!!

Our Benefit Concert on June 5, 2023 was a BIG success! Thanks to your generosity we have raised $10,025 for our humanitarian assistance to the sister-city of Nizhyn. And there are still some checks coming in the mail. We’ll keep you updated.

Well done State College!

Max Zorin, violin; Christopher Guzman, piano

Max Zorin, performed “Spanish Dance” by Myroslav Skoryk, the composer he met in person while performing in Odessa at one of the International competitions.

Ruslana Kaminska, mezzo-soprano; Jonah Glunt, piano (credit: Zhanna Kaminska)

Ruslana Kaminska a high-school student from Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, who currently resides in State College with her parents, performed two famous Ukrainian songs “Ballad of the Mallows” (Volodymyr Ivasyuk/Bohdan Gura), and “Paint Me a Night” (Myroslav Skoryk/Mykola Petrenko).

All-Ukrainian team at the All-Ukrainian Music Concert on June 5, 2023

If you were unable to attend the concert but would like to donate money for humanitarian relief for our sister-city of Nizhyn in Ukraine, you can still do it by pressing “Donate Now” button at the bottom of the page. THANK YOU!

All pictures but those specifically credited are by Svitlana B. Jones

THANK YOU! ДЯКУЄМО!

We are in the process of making the decision where the money will go. Most likely it will be related to helping children going back to school. We will keep you posted once the details are settled.

The music was beautiful and unique. The musicians were superb. The church was gracious and welcoming. It was a very special night thanks to all who attended the concert, and those who made it possible: Prof. Daryl Durran, Rev. Scott Schul, King Printing, Nina and George Woskob, and all the world class musicians residing in State College, PA.

Allison Brault, soprano, Emily Long, violin, Ruth Stokes, cello, Christopher Guzman, piano & conductor Dennis Glocke perform Postludium DSCH by Valentin Silvestrov
Jonah Glunt performs Three Preludes, Op.4 by Levko Revutsky

PSU pianist Melody Quah beautifully performed Yakiv Stepovy’s “Prelude in Memory of Taras Shevchenko”.


The Winds Octet performs Esquisses champetres (Country Sketches) by Volodymyr Dyck (Credit: Rev. Scott Shul)

The Wind Octet comprised of the Stonebridge Winds – Ashley Shank, flute, Anthony Poehailos, clarinet, Anna Skrupky, horn, Daryl Durran, bassoon, together with Andreas Oeste, oboe, Brandy Davis, clarinet, Sarah Schouten, horn, Matthew So, bassoon, Dennis Glocke, conductor also performed the National Anthem of Ukraine (Mykhailo Verbytsky/Pavlo Chubynsky) to the standing ovation of the entire audience.

Over 300 people attended the All-Ukrainian Music concert to benefit the Ukrainian sister-city of Nizhyn.

Credit: Rev. Scott Schul

…this pact will further contribute to the cause of world peace and to the development of friendly relations between the peoples of the United States and Ukraine and our two cities… (see our Memorandum of Understanding here).

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR SISTER’S SISTER FUND!