Mandy Sheldon identified meeting guests, including Justice Daniel (with Scott Holsman), Quinn W. and Jen S. (with Tom Woolwine), and visiting Rotarians Chris Roesel and Alan Van Zandt. Club 13 observed one member anniversary this week: Quint Hall, 1 year.
Greater Kansas City Day sponsors received recognition from the stage—a long list of businesses and individuals stood to receive the accolades of those present at the Gallery. The efforts of the sponsors brought in over $17K in support for the Rotary Youth Camp.
President Tony thanked the Ecology Committee for serving as meeting greeters today. Eric Bubb briefly updated the group on the golf championship progress to-date, with play already under way and targeting a 9 September wrap-up. The outcomes of the Dragon Boat Races on Brush Creek received a quick summary from the stage and from participants in the room. Tickets for the KC Current game on 18 June were still available through Mandy. Lastly, the Changing of the Guard meeting on 30 June has an early 11AM start time and will include live music and adult beverages.
At 12:23, Christy Chester stepped forward with North Kansas City Rotary Club Past President Jo Harper to introduce today’s guest speaker, Liz Shchepetyinykova. 16 years ago, Jo and her family hosted an exchange student from Eastern Ukraine named Liz. That study visit to the Kansas City area proved formative for Liz, and she and her host family stayed in contact in successive years. When conflict erupted in Ukraine this winter, Jo encouraged Liz and her husband to return to Missouri. They are now based in St. Louis and continuing their advanced degree studies. Because of this, Liz used Zoom to speak to the assembled group.
Liz recounted that her hometown in Eastern Ukraine is now occupied by the Russian forces. In the 2014 incursion, the Russian attempt to take the town was repulsed by Ukrainian soldiers and civilians. Her husband’s birthplace in Western Ukraine remains free at present. The pair have lived in Kyiv for the last dozen years, before relocating to the U.S. in February. Since arriving, they have busied themselves with helping other students to re-locate out of the country, much as they have done.
Liz opened the floor to questions from the attendees about her experiences and about Ukraine in general. The history of her country and its relationship with Russia figured prominently in this dialogue. She underscored that the city of Kyiv predates Moscow by some 600 years, and that Russia has relied heavily on Ukraine for the creation of its cultural and religious identity. In recent decades, the relationship between the two has functioned with Ukraine providing labor and raw materials for the larger Russian economy; the nature of the interaction between the peoples has taken on a colonial tone.
When asked about what she hears from her hometown, Liz indicated that the news was episodic and heartbreaking. The Northern Luthansk region as a whole is experiencing civilian hunger, destruction of homes, book burnings of Ukrainian literature, and intermittent utility service. College campus dormitories have been converted to military barracks and border crossings into Russia and sovereign Ukraine are now difficult. Russian officials are claiming crops and harvests from private citizens.
The question of Ukraine’s efforts to join the European Union received a tenuous response—Liz plainly said she does not know much about the politics of the discussion. But she clarified that Ukrainians see themselves as a European people, a European nation.
Some attendees wondered if there was a role for Rotary International in finding peace or helping with conflict resolution. Liz acknowledged that many charitable efforts were assisting with refugee populations, and that doing so was of great importance and urgency. But she emphasized that our persuading U.S. politicians to continue supporting Ukraine might be the most valuable thing we could do as individuals. Talk to your elected officials, she stressed.
Rotarian Barbara Dolci shared that the Sunflowers for Ukraine fundraiser running in July and August, as organized by Global Ties KC, is one way that Club 13 members can show their support. It entails a sunflower painting auction with the goal of raising money to aid the country.
Liz closed her remarks with how many Americans have gone from zero to 100 mph in their awareness of Ukraine and its culture in the last few months. Like the midwestern U.S., it is a very agricultural place—somewhat idyllic, so much so that Soviet parents in decades past often sent their children to summer in the Ukraine.
President Tony thanked Liz Shchepetyinykova for her Zoom remarks and promised her a Club 13 pen.
Next week, the club meeting will feature Doug Talley of the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra and the recipients of Tony Dipardo scholarships.
At 13:01, President Tony concluded the meeting by citing Albert Einstein: “The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but those who watch them without doing anything.” The 4-Way Test closed the session.
Hello Rotarians! Carl DiCapo is being honored this Wednesday, June 22 at 8:00 PM at the Liberty Memorial for his leadership in fundraising for the re-opening and revitalization of the Memorial 20 years ago. 
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