JEWETT — Michael DeBenedetto puts his life and limbs where his heart is for the people of Ukraine. He is not Ukrainian American, his family is Italian American. When Russia invaded a country which had given away its nuclear weapons on a promise of peace, he began to organize aid. "They did not want the nuclear weapons, they were the third largest nuclear power in the world," Michael said. He is heading up an ongoing drive spearheaded by our neighbors, inspired by his selflessness and the needs of the Ukrainian people. They continue to buy medical supplies and vehicles to save lives and defend freedom in a small nation which has been standing up to a corruption plagued superpower. As Michael DiBenedetto puts it, "At the beginning of the invasion, I didn't even know where Ukraine was." He heard Zelinskyy reply to offers of rescue and asylum, "I don't need a ride, I need ammunition."
Some people do need a ride, not to other nations, but out of the kill zone in the DonBas region. Michael is working with Jonathan, a twenty nine year old California man, whom Michael met when they both were working with a group called, "Road to Relief." Michael did not give his last name, and I thought it best not to ask. Today, Michael works with the Adaptive Relief Collective, which has a team of twelve people. They are doing evacuations and delivering humanitarian supplies to Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. There is intense fighting there now, and two of the team members have already given their lives, killed by Russian ordinance. There has been a marked increase of attacks by the Russians on aid workers and first responders, using "double tap" tactics. A short time after an attack, a second strike is sent in to kill those who come with medical aid and to evacuate the injured. Over all, in Ukraine, the United Nations and independent humanitarian networks confirm the deaths of at least 25 humanitarian aid workers including two American volunteer medics. This number would be higher, but the UN and other groups do not count a fatality of an individual who may be a combatant at times and an aid worker at other times.
For Ukraine, defending the two cities, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk is critical. If they fall, Russia will have an open path into central Ukraine. So far, in the Donetsk region, where these Ukrainian cities are found, the official death count stands at 4,336 civilians killed. Jonathan is evacuating civilians with two buses, which are often down, needing repairs. At such times, he uses an ambulance or an armored car. The concert's goal is to raise funds for another critically needed bus. The bus will be filled with medical supplies. Jonathan informed Michael, after one such vehicle delivery, that the medical supplies, donated in the UK to fill the American purchased vehicle, were worth more than the vehicle. At great risk, the aid vehicles are driven to the death zones, the swaths of land which pass for the front lines today, where the Russian military kills anything that moves, a Ukrainian soldier, a dairy farmer or a civilian on a bicycle. The danger was brought home during the concert. A computer conference with Jonathan, and members of his team was set up so the audience could hear him first hand and ask questions. They were attempting to speak with us from a basement, as they were under bombardment. There could not be a stable connection established, so after a few flickering images and a few words, the link was lost.
The concert was held at the Grazhda Ukrainian Community Center in Jewett. It was where such a day must be held. It is an extraordinarily beautiful traditional wooden Ukrainian building next to a breathtaking and beautiful traditional Ukrainian church. The St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church is a hand-carved wooden basilica constructed of mortised wooden components without the use of a single nail. I was invited to cover this event by the Catskill's own musical power couple, Justin and Barbara Kolb. Justin took a brea