On a sunny but windy Wednesday, March 2, more than 50 concerned citizens demonstrated their support for Ukraine by walking across the Portage Lift Bridge and back -- many carrying the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag or signs in support of Ukraine's struggle against Russian President Putin's aggressive war. This was the second Walk for World Peace this week, following one held last Sunday.*
Both were organized by Nadija Packauskas, a Lithuanian American who is concerned about Ukraine, partly because of her own family history.
"I organized the walks because we are Lithuanian and my father fled the Russians on foot just with the clothes on his back when they occupied Lithuania," Nadija told Keweenaw Now. "When they fled in World War II, he and his family also thought they would be home as soon as the war ended. He returned in 1992!"
Nadija's father, Vytautas Packauskas, age nearly 91, wanted to show support for Ukraine so he participated in both walks this week, crossing the bridge three times and carrying a sign.
Earlier this week Vytautas had an opportunity to ride a horse for Ukraine -- his first time on a horse in 60 years.
"We know what it means to be occupied and no child should live through it," Nadija added. "No country should be forced to give up its independence. No one should stand idly by as this should be felt by everyone. We are with Ukraine because we could be Ukraine."
As participants lined up to cross the bridge from Houghton to Hancock on Wednesday, Keweenaw Now met a young Ukrainian, Tanya, with her little boy. She spoke about her family in Ukraine.
Tanya, a local resident from Ukraine, speaks with Keweenaw Now about her family. (Video by Keweenaw Now)
Linda and Jim Belote of Hancock participated because of a connection with a Ukrainian friend.
"I am really emotionally wound up about Putin's aggression," Linda said. "I have a dear Ukrainian friend who lives in Kyiv. She's posting on Facebook daily, so we're staying in close contact."
Linda and Jim Belote display a sign they brought to Wednesday's walk. "Our sign says STOP in Russian," Linda explained. "Jim saw that's what was written on signs held by the protesters in Moscow. So I made a sign like theirs."Craig Waddell and his wife, Victoria Bergvall, of Houghton both displayed signs supporting Ukraine.
Craig Waddell said, "Yesterday, I was carrying a sign that said 'Stand with Ukraine,' and someone asked me if I was Ukrainian. I was born in the USA, and my ancestors are from England, Scotland, and Ireland. But a threat to democracy anywhere is a threat to democracy everywhere, so today, everyone who stands for democracy is Ukrainian."
Carolyn Peterson of Houghton also noted the unity of support for Ukraine shown by democratic countries around the world.
"I wanted to show my support for the people of Ukraine, who are inspiring me with their courage," Peterson said. "It feels like the entire free world is united for the first time in many years.
Carolyn Peterson, right, lines up with other participants as they prepare to walk across the Lift Bridge on Wednesday, March 2. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)
Janeen Stephenson of Houghton said the shock and sadness she felt at hearing of the invasion of Ukraine inspired her to join the walk.
"I am shocked and deeply saddened by the Russian invasion of Ukraine," Stephenson told Keweenaw Now. "The loss of lives, both Ukrainian and Russian, is brutal and unnecessary. It was important to me to show my support for Ukraine and the courageous resistance the people are exhibiting."
Janeen Stephenson, foreground with blue and yellow sign, chats with another participant as they cross the Lift Bridge on Wednesday, March 2. (Photo © and courtesy Nadija Packauskas)
Janeen was also joined in the walk by other members of the Keweenaw Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (KUUF) Justice Ministry group.
Elizabeth Flynn, Michigan Tech emerita professor in Humanities, said she has been learning about Ukraine from a woman she is tutoring.
"The invasion of Ukraine by Vladimir Putin is a nightmare for Ukrainians and an outrage for the rest of the world," Flynn noted. "I tutor a woman from Ukraine in a literacy program, and she has shared footage of the attacks and says that she’s very worried about her extended family. I’m hoping that sanctions and condemnation by the world will bring the violence to an end."
Participants in the Wednesday walk cross the Portage Lift Bridge, returning from Hancock to Houghton. (Video by Keweenaw Now)
Kateryna Lapina, a Ukrainian graduate of Michigan Tech (PhD in Environmental Engineering, 2009), who now lives in Colorado, shared news of Ukraine on Facebook recently. She has family in Kharkiv, Ukraine, and is very worried about them. Here are some of her posts:
Feb. 28, 2022: "Today rocket artillery was used twice to target civilian buildings in my city, Kharkiv. Dozens of dead/wounded."**
March 1, 2022: "The main square in my city was hit by cruise missiles today. A child is among the dead. The cruise missiles part is new. Russia is going now after civilians and infrastructure."
March 2, 2022: (some good news) "The company I work for, Degreed, just sent a company-wide email that they have ended sales discussion with a large Russian steel company. My work won't be supporting their products, currently rolling on the Ukrainian roads towards my city. My company will lose lots of money, but I am so proud of them and hope many others will follow suit."
Asked whether she and her family were surprised by Putin's invasion, Kateryna replied, "No, we were not. With all the intelligence that Biden provided on Russian war preparations we were not surprised. Of course we were hoping that this would not happen."
Kateryna recently participated in a rally in Denver in support of Ukraine.
Organizer Nadija told Keweenaw Now she was pleased with the turnout at the Wednesday walk.
"Numbers never matter at a rally," she said. "If one shows up he impacts all who see him and all who wish him well. We stand for those who cannot stand. So we had 52, but we had the hopes and prayers of thousands -- the numbers were great. The honking, smiling, thumbs up cars were inspiring!"
Nadija, center with sunflowers, and her father, at right with sign, join friends at the end of the Wednesday walk. (Photo courtesy Nadia Packauskas)
Nadija noted also that Ukraine has stood for us with their courage and character and taught us how to love one another again.
"And we in the US have needed that," she added. "We needed a reminder that we are the free leader of the world and with that freedom comes great responsibility. We must stand up. We must use our collective voices to raise up the fight for democracy. We needed to believe in democracy again, and the courageous people of Ukraine may have just showed us the way."
Events at Michigan Tech
Nadija has been working with Michigan Tech Ukrainian graduate students Adelina Oronova and Nazar Gora, who have organized demonstrations in support of Ukraine all this week near the Husky statue in the center of campus.*
The noon demonstration on Friday, March 4, near the Husky will be followed by a bake sale from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the MTU library. Opportunities for donations and information on Ukraine will be available.***
At 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 6, a panel discussion on current events in Ukraine and an opportunity to show support for Ukraine will be held in the East Reading Room of the MTU Library. This event will also be livestreamed on Zoom. Watch our right column for details and a Zoom link.
Editor's Notes:
* See our March 1, 2022, article, "Photos: Yoopers, students stand up for Ukraine."
** See cnn.com, Feb. 28, 2022: "Russia bombs residential area of Kharkiv and intensifies Kyiv assault as talks with Ukraine end."
*** For useful resources on Ukraine, including ways you can help, go to https://linktr.ee/RazomForUkraine. Also, visit the Facebook page Yoopers for Ukraine.
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