About 30 people came out Saturday to Pittman Park United Methodist Church to help raise funds for people in Ukraine who have been forced to flee the Russian military invasion that began Feb. 24.

The event was organized by local resident Illona Fountain, who was born in Kyiv, Ukraine, but has been a U.S. citizen most of her life.

“It was wonderful to see the support from our small community, and we are so thankful,” Fountain said. “It’s heart-warming to speak with people who knew nothing about Ukraine prior to Russia invading and now just want to help any way they can.”

She said at the event Saturday, two professors from Georgia Southern asked her to come speak to their classes to help their students better understand the history of Ukraine.

All donations received Saturday and any other time will be given to the United Methodist Committee on Relief’s International Disaster Response and Recovery Advance that focuses aid on helping those who remain in Ukraine and those who have fled the violence to neighboring countries.

According to a report from The Associated Press, Poland has taken in more than 2 million refugees from Ukraine — the bulk of more than 3.38 million people that the U.N. says have fled since Russia first invaded the country. Hundreds of thousands have streamed into Hungary, Slovakia, Moldova and Romania.

While it is hard to estimate how many civilians have been killed, from the start of the war through last Friday, the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights recorded 2,246 civilian casualties in the country, including 847 killed and 1,399 injured.

Ukrainian officials say thousands of civilians have been killed.

The office of Ukraine's Prosecutor General reported Saturday that 112 children have been killed since the fighting started. More than 140 children have been wounded.

Estimates of Russian deaths vary, but even conservative figures are in the low thousands.

How to help

Saturday’s drive was the second event for relief of Ukraine that Pittman Park UMC has hosted. The first was on March 5. Also, Fountain said the church held a special offering request during its Sunday services.

At this point, Fountain said she is not sure if she will help organize another local relief effort.

“I know a lot of people want to help, and the best way is through the United Methodist Church and their agencies,” she said. “It’s the best way to make sure help gets where it is needed.”

Gifts may be made in the following ways:

·         Online at https://umcmission.org/advance-project/982450

·         By toll-free telephone call: (888) 252-6174

·         By check made out to Global Ministries/UMCOR with “Advance #982450-Ukraine” written on the memo line and mailed to Global Ministries/UMCOR, GPO, P.O. Box 9068, New York, NY 10087-9068

·         By check made out to Global Ministries/UMCOR with “Advance #982450-Ukraine” written on the memo line and given to any United Methodist Church