Anyone going to Ukraine

[Ronnie]

Anyone going to Ukraine soon?  Send me a PM if so.

[Ronnie]

I want to thank "mobob" for his kindness.  Just two days before his departure to Ukraine, he rounded up a bag of baseball equipment from his local Little League Baseball coaches and brought them with him to Kyiv last month.  We've been using that equipment, plus some that I brought myself to organize baseball here in Odessa.  We now have over thirty kids playing baseball in an Odessa park (pasture really).  The share six gloves for now but I have 23 more on their way that I bought on EBay and a charitable organization called "Pitch in For Baseball" out of Philadelphia is sending us about 30 more donated gloves.  You can follow our progress by joining my facebook group "baseball for Ukraine" http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_146297032107818&ap=1.  You can also help with shipping cost by donating to Pitch in for Baseball through a special link set up for the Odessa kids.  http://www.active.com/donations/fundraise_public.cfm?frid=4157590

[Hammer2722]

Last year, when I was in Kiev walking in a park, I noticed an actual baseball game underway between 2 uniformed teams of young men. I do believe they were part of some kind of league there....

[Ronnie]

Yes, Kyiv, Simferopil, Kirovohrad, Cherkasy, Ilyichivsk and maybe a dozen other towns have baseball...but none in Odessa.  A few years ago a fellow from NYC who has Ukrainian roots named Basil Tarasko started focusing on the orphanages in Ukraine.  This summer I'll be organizing baseball at the Odessa orphans' summer camp which should have about 350 orphans aged 7-17.  The director has also asked if I might help him procure 50 pillow and blankets as he's a little short.  A pillow runs two dollars and a blanket $8.  I've done what I can.  Anyone else what to help out?

[Faux Pas]

Yes, Kyiv, Simferopil, Kirovohrad, Cherkasy, Ilyichivsk and maybe a dozen other towns have baseball...but none in Odessa.  A few years ago a fellow from NYC who has Ukrainian roots named Basil Tarasko started focusing on the orphanages in Ukraine.  This summer I'll be organizing baseball at the Odessa orphans' summer camp which should have about 350 orphans aged 7-17.  The director has also asked if I might help him procure 50 pillow and blankets as he's a little short.  A pillow runs two dollars and a blanket $8.  I've done what I can.  Anyone else what to help out?

If you will set up the paypal account and see that it gets where it needs to go, I'll contribute

[Ronnie]

Thanks Faux Pas.  The pay pal is ron_monks@hotmail.com.  I'm going to 7th Kilometer bazaar on Sunday to make a partial purchase...

[Hammer2722]

Hey Ronnie, this is a great thing you are doing. I'll send something to the Paypal account next payday!

[Ronnie]

Hey, thanks guys!

[Ronnie]

Faux Pas... I just noticed your donation!  Wow..I didn't expect that much!  Thanks..I'm going back to 7th Kilometer on Monday to make another purchase.  And, thanks also to Hammer for his pledge.  You guys are awesome!