ALBION, Iowa — For many of us, the conflict in Ukraine couldn't seem farther away. But for one Iowa couple, the devastation hits close to home, so the couple called on some Iowa nice to bring some help all the way to the other side of the globe.
Life on the farm is always filled with hard work. On April 2, instead of tending to the fields, Kathy Siebring and a group of volunteers were packing up boxes filled with food, clothes, medical supplies, and more, to send to Ukrainians in need.
"People just want to help and they know what's happening is so incredibly wrong. And we want to do something that's right and good," Kathy said.
The cause is personal for Kathy; her husband, Gordie, runs a farm in Ukraine and has spent 29 years traveling back and forth from Iowa. When the Russian invasion began, he decided to stay overseas.
"My best thing that I could do for the war effort was to stay behind, bring some stability to the situation, stay with my workers, and try and do whatever I could to make sure Ukraine wins this thing," Gordie said.
To do that, Kathy and Gordie began collecting donations to send to Ukraine. The response was nothing short of incredible. Donations came from as far away as Massachusetts. By the time packing was finished, it took two semi-truck trailers to hold everything. Kathy said that she was inspired by the bravery of the Ukrainians she and Gordie have met.
"The people from Mariupol recently said, 'We will fight to the last person in this town before we give them to the Russians.' And so how do you not want to help people that are giving their lives up for their country?" Kathy said.
If all goes well, it'll take three to four weeks to get all the donations across the ocean to Ukraine. And none of it would've been possible without a little help from the Hawkeye state.
"Iowa nice is not just a pretend thing. This has really blown me out of the water," Kathy said.
There's still one last hurdle left to cross—paying the shipping fees to get the donations overseas, which could cost up to $20,000. If you'd like to donate, contact New Hope Christian Church.