By MARY AND TOM CURLEY

Thank you, Marshalltown!

July 16, 2023 was a pivotal day in the lives of the young people I’m writing about, but this wouldn’t have been a success with you, our friends and businesses of Marshalltown. Let me share a feel-good story with you.

In 2021, a group of students from Ukraine came to Iowa to enjoy their junior year of high school, and were accepted into host family’s homes around the central part of Iowa. These kids were so excited to have been chosen from a field of applicants totaling over 30,000, over 2 years of testing and eliminations. They proved to be academically the brightest and the best representatives from their Country. They were the lucky ones — until early in 2022 when Russia invaded their country, and since then they have struggled knowing some of their families are still there and not in a safe situation — daily face-time calls are most reassuring.

The FLEX program that brought them to Iowa had to look at the immediate future and determined that these kids were going to be here longer than one school year. Some host parents extended the stay for their kids and some new host families were found. Some of these kids do not have homes to return to in Ukraine, so a dedicated group from Central Iowa have rallied to find ways to keep them here for college.

Letters were written to colleges, legislators and anyone else who would listen to help us make these kids feel wanted in our state. Over the last several months Drake Law School Clinic agreed, (pro bono) to help each student apply for their TPS (Temporary Protective Status) as well as any other legal issues they face.

Few responses were received, but our biggest and loudest cheerleader, State Representative Sue Cahill of Marshall County really came through! She contacted the state colleges herself and, lucky for us, found Oksana Grybovych Hafermann, who is the Chief of Staff to the President of UNI. Oksana came to Iowa from Ukraine when she was 18, and received her Master’s Degree from UNI and was offered a job with UNI even before she graduated.

When she learned of what we were working towards, things accelerated. UNI has offered each student a four year package of close to $9,000 each year to go to school at UNI. Five students have accepted this offer and are making plans to attend UNI in the fall.

Host parents, Brock and Alli Johnson of Waukee (Alli is a 1999 graduate of MHS) decided to create a 501c3 for fundraising called “The Humanitarian Scholarship Fund of Iowa” and all donations are tax deductible. Initially this fund will be available for our Ukraine students so they can complete college here, and will eventually be open for any refugee student who needs funds to attend an Iowa College, as long as they are an Iowa High School Graduate.

July 16 was a pivotal day in the lives of these students From Ukraine. We held our first Educational Fundraiser for these kids at Water Works Park in Des Moines in conjunction with the Bikes, Bands and Brews Event. Prior to the event, we sent out sponsorship letters and informational brochures, spoke to many in our communities to let them know our plan and looked for support. The attendees at the event were numerous and had a genuine interest in our goal.

The students spent the day talking with people from all over Iowa. There were Ukrainian themed trinkets guests purchased, fun with the dunk tank, face painting. In addition, all were able to enjoy two Marshalltown acts, Phil Shipley and The So Hard Band. Tom Box of Ames and the Des Moines Surf Zombies also performed.

The event collected approximately $14,000, and our online Venmo account donation keeps growing daily. We have a long way to go, but we have more fundraisers being planned. If you’d like to donate just visit our website hsfia.org and click the “Donate” tab.

A special thank you goes out to the T-R with the great front page article they published the week of the event. The radio stations, KFJB, KIX 101 and KDAO gave us great publicity as well. We received financial contributions from many Marshalltown businesses and individuals and we thank you all. You will be hearing more about The Humanitarian Scholarship Fund of Iowa and we hope you will continue to help support our effort to help these bright students learn and live in the great state of Iowa.

Sincerely,

Mary and Tom Curley, our Ukrainian daughter Olha Hinchak, and the other host families and Ukraine students in our great state of Iowa.

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Mary and Tom Curley are the former owners of Tannin Wine Bar and residents of Marshalltown.