ZAKOPANE, POLAND – In an act of global peer leadership, high school students from Holderness School in New Hampshire traveled to Poland last week to volunteer at the nonprofit Common Man for Ukraine’s monthly mental health retreat for Ukrainian children of war.
At a presentation this past school year by the nonprofit’s co-founders, the pair of high school juniors – Kelly McVeigh and Maeve Rhatigan – first learned of Common Man for Ukraine’s impactful residential trauma counseling program for Ukrainian children whose soldier-fathers have been killed in the ongoing war.
From there, several Holderness Service Council students were first introduced to Ukrainian children attending Common Man for Ukraine’s April retreat over Zoom and served as pen pals in the following months. This letter-writing relationship was meaningful for the American teens and inspired them to make an even greater impact – flying to Eastern Europe and volunteering in-person at the August retreat session in Zakopane, Poland.
“It has been an absolute honor to have the chance to connect with these resilient individuals, and to contribute to creating a super positive and supportive environment,” said McVeigh. “Having spent the last eight weeks as a camp counselor in the United States, I have used that experience to bring some joy and comfort to the (Ukrainian) kids.”
“These kids are only slightly younger than us and they’ve already been through so much,” added Rhatigan, who with the Holderness Service Council helped organize fundraisers for the nonprofit. “When I found out about this opportunity to spend time with them directly, I thought: How could I not?”
To date, the all-volunteer Common Man for Ukraine and its Polish Rotary partners have hosted more than 800 Ukrainian children between the ages of eight and 16 at the monthly Children of Ukraine Health Retreat, which provides both group and individual counseling, art and nature therapy sessions, and therapeutic physical activities and outings. Each 3-week program hosts 30 to 35 children and is staffed by certified Ukrainian teachers, doctors, and counselors.
“We cannot overstate how powerful and impactful it has been to establish a connection between Ukrainian children and the students at Holderness School, who have developed their own commitment to and compassion for Ukraine’s children and what they are going through,” said Common Man for Ukraine co-founder Lisa Mure. “By volunteering at our August retreat this week, American teens are making friendship bracelets, playing soccer and volleyball, and bringing the Ukrainian children a sense of comfort that the world is watching out for them and caring about what they are going through.”
“We can see it is as moving and inspiring for the Holderness students as it is for the Ukrainian children,” Mure added. “These types of opportunities that build relationships between young people of different cultures and experiences help make the world smaller, kinder, and more loving for our future generations.”
By the end of the trip, the two teenage students, and their trusted guardians who accompanied them from Holderness School, spent five days with the Ukrainian children of war. As peer volunteers, the teens made crafts, gone on hikes, played games, and ate many meals together with the Ukrainian orphans. Most importantly, they created deep bonds with them, and gave the Ukrainian children the knowledge that even youth who live on the other side of the world are determined to help them in Ukraine’s time of need.
The Holderness Service Council supports a variety of local nonprofits. Last year, students provided more than 5,500 hours of service to the local community, earning 13 volunteer Presidential Service Awards and raising more than $30,000 through service initiatives.
Donations to the 501c3 Common Man for Ukraine can be made online at its website (commonmanforukraine.org), check by mail (71 Main Street, Plymouth, NH 03264), and by Donor Advised Fund (DAF).
About Common Man for Ukraine
Common Man for Ukraine is an initiative of the New Hampshire-based 501c3 nonprofit organization Plymouth Rotary Foundation, EIN 59-3841932. The grassroots, volunteer-run organization delivers humanitarian aid, food, and trauma counseling to Ukrainian orphans, displaced children, and families struggling to survive this war.
All donations are tax-deductible and can be made at commonmanforukraine.org or by mailing a check to: Common Man for Ukraine, 71 Main Street, Plymouth, NH 03264
