Yoopers for Ukraine have attracted more supporters this month with two visitors from Ukraine joining the weekly Walk for Ukraine on the Portage Lift Bridge and giving presentations at various events both at Michigan Tech and in the local community. Ukrainian poet Yuliya Musakovska, who was here in early February, was invited by Michigan Tech Associate Professor M. Bartley Seigel, Creative Writing and Literature, Director of the Michigan Tech Writing Center as well as 2021-2022 U.P. Poet Laureate. Following her visit, Emily Marie Rutkowski of Detroit, who travels back and forth to Ukraine delivering first aid kits and other useful items for Ukrainian soldiers, came to Houghton for several days of fundraising for her group, Misha's Angels. Emily was invited by Nadija Packauskas, co-founder of Yoopers for Ukraine, who organized several community events to assist in the fundraising.
Visit by Yuliya Musakovska, Ukrainian poet
Yuliya Musakovska is from Lviv, Ukraine. An award-winning poet, translator, and member of PEN Ukraine, Yuliya is the author of five poetry collections in Ukrainian, most recently The God of Freedom (2021) and a bi-lingual collection, Iron in Polish and Ukrainian (2022). She has received numerous literary awards in Ukraine and her works have been translated into more than twenty languages.
In addition to reading some of her poems and their English translations, Yuliya spoke during a panel discussion on Ukraine at Michigan Tech on Feb. 1. She spoke about her friends, colleagues and fellow writers who have been killed during Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine. She also noted she believes in traveling and sharing her poetry because sharing her culture is an act of resistance against an aggressor who is trying to eliminate Ukrainian culture.*
"Russia is a machine of hate and destruction, and it can only be stopped by force," Yuliya said. "Let's stop this evil together and let justice prevail."
Yuliya also participated in the Feb. 2 opening of the Michigan Tech art exhibit, "Simple Machines: Poetry, Letterpress, and the Art of the Little Magazine" in the Rozsa A-Space Gallery. The exhibit, which continues through March 30, is an interactive poetry exhibit where participants can hear poets reading their work.
Nadija Packauskas, co-founder of Yoopers for Ukraine, attended the art exhibit and invited Yuliya to join the weekly Walk for Ukraine.
"The community is very grateful to M. Bartley Seigel and Michigan Tech for bringing such a world-renowned poet to the UP!" Nadija said.
On Feb. 4, Yuliya joined the weekly Sunday Walk for Ukraine and spoke afterwards during a reception for her held by Yoopers for Ukraine in the Downtowner restaurant in Houghton.
Here Nadija Packauskas of Yoopers for Ukraine welcomes Yuliya and supporters to the Feb. 4 Walk:
As the 2-year mark of the war in Ukraine approaches, Nadija Packauskas, co-founder of Yoopers for Ukraine, addresses participants in the Feb. 4, 2024, Walk for Ukraine in Houghton.(Videos by Keweenaw Now)The Feb. 4 Walk for Ukraine begins:
Carrying flags and signs, participants in the Feb. 4 Walk for Ukraine in Houghton head for the Portage Lift Bridge to Hancock.Karen Liimatta came from Marquette to join the Feb. 4 Walk for Ukraine.
Karen Liimatta of Marquette, MI, who came to Houghton for the Feb. 4, 2024, Walk for Ukraine, tells Keweenaw Now how her church is welcoming Ukrainian families who have come to Marquette since the beginning of the war.Elizabeth Flynn, Michigan Tech Emerita Professor of Reading and Composition, also participated in the Feb. 4 Walk.
"I went to the walk in support of Ukraine because the country needs our help in its heroic fight against imperialist Vladimir Putin," Flynn told Keweenaw Now. "I also went because our Congress needs to pass legislation to provide desperately needed aid. I remember when the domino theory explained aggression such as Putin’s. If he wins, he won’t stop there."
After displaying their flags and signs to passing traffic in Hancock, participants in the Feb. 4 Walk for Ukraine return to Houghton.
Led by visiting Ukrainian poet Yuliya Musakovska, participants in the Feb. 4, 2024, Walk for Ukraine return to Houghton, MI, from Hancock on the Portage Lift Bridge.Following the Feb. 4 Walk, participants attended a reception for Yuliya in the Downtowner restaurant in Houghton. She spoke to the group about Ukraine and also read some of her poetry.
Ukrainian poet Yuliya Musakovska speaks at a reception held for her by Yoopers for Ukraine on Feb. 4, 2024, following their weekly Walk for Ukraine.At a reception for her following the Feb. 4, 2024, Walk for Ukraine in Houghton, MI, Ukrainian poet Yuliya Musakovska reads a translation of one of her poems.Miriam Pickens, local resident and artist, who has assisted Nadija Packauskas with several Yoopers for Ukraine projects, commented on the Feb. 4 Walk and reception.
"I really enjoyed meeting new people who were walking -- loved the energy!" Miriam said. "The afterparty was great; got to hear some amazing poetry. Nadija is an amazing organizer."
Emily Marie Rutkowski of Misha's Angels raises funds for Ukrainian soldiers
Who would think that a young woman from Detroit would visit Houghton for a few days and receive more than $5,000 in donations from local community groups for Micha's Angels -- a Kyiv-based organization she founded in Michigan that supports several military units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine? In fact, the group has provided over $50,000 worth of aid for Ukrainian soldiers since October 2023. That includes the following:
- Individual first aid kits (IFAKs)
- Winter gear, including thermal socks, thermal underwear, gloves, hand and toe warmers
- Mine detector
- Ballistic glasses
- Tactical medical supplies
- Christmas gifts for children of fallen heroes
The fundraising group is named for Misha, a black kitten rescued from the trenches by a group of soldiers in Ukraine. His dad is a friend of Emily's and a US Marine veteran who served with the Ukrainian Marines and is now on the eastern front with the 3rd Assault Brigade. Emily, his mom, volunteers to help keep Ukraine defenders safe by raising funds for much-needed items.
On Feb. 15, Emily spoke about Misha's Angels and her volunteer work of fundraising to provide needed items for Ukrainian soldiers at two local community groups -- International Neighbors (pictured above) and the Rotary Club and received a donation from each, with a combined total of over $1,000.
On Feb. 16, Nadija and the NISU bakery in Hancock held a Wine and Cheese event, where Emily spoke for an hour about her work and collected $645.
"In total with funds from Yoopers for Ukraine collected for IFAKs Emily left the UP with $5,045!" Nadija reported.
On Feb. 14, for Valentine's Day, Yoopers for Ukraine held an extra Walk for Ukraine across the Portage Lift Bridge, followed by a reception for Emily and her family. She also spoke with Keweenaw Now about Misha's Angels and her work.
Yoopers for Ukraine walk across the Portage Lift Bridge from Houghton to Hancock on Feb. 14, 2024. Visitor Emily Marie Rutkowski of Detroit, founder of Misha's Angels, joins the Walk.Participants in the Feb. 14 Walk for Ukraine return from Hancock.Following the Feb. 14 Walk, Emily and her family enjoyed a reception in the Downtowner restaurant, where she spoke with Keweenaw Now about her work for Misha's Angels and her interest in helping soldiers with PTSD.
During the Feb. 14 reception for Emily and her family in the Downtowner, Emily tells Keweenaw Now about the group she founded, Misha's Angels, and the work they do in donating first aid kits (IFAKs) to Ukrainian military units.Emily also described many other items the funds for Misha's Angels have been able to supply to Ukrainian troops, especially helpful in the cold winter -- the hand and toe warmers, warm socks and thermal underwear. Some of these soldiers are stationed as close as three miles to the Russian border and in need of supplies. The funds raised here are mostly used to purchase Ukraine-made items, thus saving money and helping the Ukrainian economy as well.
Emily shared photos of safety gear such as night vision devices and a mine detector.
"Ukraine's actually the most heavily mined country in the world right now," Emily said, "and actually night vision is also really important because one of the units we were helping, without night vision ... the guys were having to hold on to each other when they're walking around at night, which is really dangerous because if they do hit a mine it's going to be not just one person that's injured but a bunch."
They are also in more danger from Russian shooting or bombing when they're all clustered together, she added.
Visiting a facility that helps Ukrainian soldiers who have PTSD inspired Emily to consider such work as a future career for herself.
During an interview with Keweenaw Now, Emily Marie Rutkowski of Detroit speaks about a PTSD center in Ukraine that helps soldiers. She also shares photos of Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines.If you wish to contribute funds to help Misha's Angels with their work, you can email yoopersforukraine@gmail.com or for Pay Pal: @EmilyRutkowski
Events this weekend: 2-year anniversary of invasion
Yoopers for Ukraine will hold several events this weekend since Saturday, Feb. 24, marks two years of Ukrainian resistance against the Russian invasion:
Noon, Saturday, Feb. 24, at Houghton Pier, near Portage Lake District Library: A rally to recognize the two-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine
6:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24: Prayer Vigil at Veterans Park
7:15 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 25: Sunrise Community Prayer Service at Houghton side of Portage Lift Bridge.
3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25: Walk for Ukraine. Meet on Houghton side of Portage Lift Bridge.
For more info on Yoopers for Ukraine, visit them on Facebook.
* Editor's Note: Click here for a video recording of the panel discussion with Yuliya -- videotaped by Nadija Packauskas.
