BEAUFORT, S.C. (April 13, 2022) – Generous donations to the City of Beaufort’s Pride of Place fund have resulted in more than $52,000 raised to help the City of Ostroh, in western Ukraine, as it deals with a refugee crisis.
In mid-March, Mayor Stephen Murray reached out to Ostroh Mayor Yurii Yahodka to see how Beaufort might help this historic city in western Ukraine, of similar size to Beaufort. Mayor Yurii said he welcomed the help. He said that any donations would help Ostroh feed and offer shelter to refugees coming to Ostroh from other parts of the war-torn country, and would help to supply the military with various needs.
The City set up a Ukraine relief fund through its Pride of Place donation program. People from Beaufort and beyond have donated more than $31,000 to Pride of Place to help Ostroh.
Shortly after this relief campaign began, Greg Rawls, a glass artist whose work is displayed at Thibault Gallery on Bay Street, designed a blue and yellow glass pin – in honor of Ukraine’s blue and yellow flag – that sells at the gallery for $20. The gallery has donated more than $22,000 to the Pride of Place fund from the sales of its pins and pendants.
“We are so gratified by the outpouring of support for Ostroh,” Mayor Murray said. “We thank everyone who has donated to this worthy cause. We’re very grateful to Greg Rawls and Eric and Mary Thibault for offering this beautiful pin for sale. It’s just a great way to show your support for Ukraine, and all it has endured.”
Mayor Yurii, in a recent email to Mayor Murray, said, “Thank you and all your residents of Beaufort for giving help to Ostroh. We are fine. Ostroh community hosts displaced people, gives places for living, food and hygiene products. We are going to buy food and military things for Ukrainian army on all funds that you will transfer to the charity account. Your help and support bring us closer to the victory! Glory to Ukraine!"
Beaufort now plans to transfer approximately $40,000 of the funds to a special bank account that Ostroh has set up, and will transfer the rest at the end of the campaign, or use some of the funds to ship supplies to Ostroh.
Beaufort plans to continue the Pride of Place Ukraine relief campaign through the next several weeks. If you are interested in donating to Pride of Place, please go to this page for more information: www.cityofbeaufort.org/270/Beaufort-Pride-of-Place. If you are interested in buying a pendant or pin from Thibault Gallery, you can find more information at the gallery’s website here: www.thibaultgallery.com.
(Photo: Mayor Stephen Murray is presented a check from Thibault Gallery owners Eric and Mary Thibault, left. The gallery has been selling pins and pendants made by glass artist Greg Rawls, right, and donating all proceeds to the Beaufort Pride of Place Ukraine relief fund.)
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