September 2023 Newsletter |
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Arizona Stands With Ukraine |
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On August 26th, 2023, the community of Scottsdale came together at the Western Spirit: Scottdale's Museum of the West to honor 32 years of Ukraine's Independence. The event, hosted by Cactus and Tryzub, began with a stirring rendition of the national anthems of both the United States and Ukraine. Distinguished member of the local Ukrainian community, judge Orest Jejna, shared insights about Ukraine's journey to independence and highlighted the challenges faced and the progress made. Judge Jejna inspired the audience with references to resilience and determination of Ukrainian people. Mayor of Scottsdale David D. Ortega also supported the event with a formal proclamation recognizing August 24th, 2023 as Ukraine's Independence Day - a meaningful gesture of standing in solidarity with Ukraine. We raised $1439.55 at this event for Dignitas Fund. The event concluded with a 7mi unescorted motorcade through the streets of Scottsdale and a group photo at the famous LOVE sculpture at the Scottsdale Civic Center Park. If you were not able to join us for the motorcade but would like to support the Dignitas Fund, thank you for your contribution. |
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Almost SOLD OUT! On September 10th-14th, 2023 Majestic Theaters in Tempe will be hosting a special event Spotlight on Europe: Cinema Fantastique. Cactus and Tryzub was invited to recommend a Ukrainian film for the feature. We are happy to announce that the highly anticipated animated film "Mavka. The Forest Song" was accepted by the festival committee for a one-time screening on September 10th at 2pm. The film will be presented in English. We also invite you to take a photo with the live Mavka character for a small donation. | | |
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Acupuncture from the Heart, PLLC in partnership with Integrative Health Care Solutions Consulting is offering this Auricular Acu-Technician (AAT) training in honor of refugees, sponsors, volunteers, peer counselors, professional therapists, religious and care organizations who specialize in working with survivors experiencing trauma, PTSD, pain, and addiction. This training is provided by Dr. Celia Hilderbrand, DAOM, NCCAOM Dipl, LAc. and involves 16 hours of classroom lecture and hands-on practice, and 14 hours of self-study materials to be completed before end of classroom training on September 23rd. In addition, attendees will complete 40 auricular treatments during the course of this training. Upon successful completion of the training, attendees receive a certificate which qualifies them to apply for license as an "Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist". | | |
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On October 7th, 2023 Helping Everywhere With Art will host a benefit concert and silent auction at the Gammage Auditorium. The concert will feature talented musicians and performers. Proceeds from the event will go to benefit Ukrainian children in need. Your participation in this event will provide needed aid and support to those who need it the most, while also enjoying an incredible showcase of talent and creativity from some of the most talented musicians and performers in the area. For every ticket purchased, the organizers will match donate a ticket to AZ youth in foster care. | | |
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The fall 2023 Ukraine Action Summit is now open for registration. This event on Capitol Hill is hosted by the American Coalition for Ukraine and will take place on October 22-24, 2023. Individuals and organizations — from within as well as beyond the Ukrainian community are invited to attend. The Summit will consist of panel discussions, a collaborative advocacy training and Congressional meetings on Capitol Hill. | | |
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Arizona senator Mark Kelly has been a strong supporter of Ukraine. He took the lead on pushing to evaluate F-16 transfers to Ukraine, and highlighted the expertise in Arizona in a recent press release issued by his office. Our advocacy taskforce met with senator Kelly on August 31st to express gratitude for his leadership on the pilot training and aircraft transfer, to get a sense for pilot training schedule and to discuss additional military capabilities, such as long-range missiles, for Ukraine. Summer advocacy priorities were also presented to senator Kyrsten Sinema's team earlier last month. |
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In the Spotlight - Ukraine Fact Check website |
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Founded in 2023, UkraineFactCheck.org is an independent project aimed at empowering the public to evaluate facts, interpret the news, and make decisions based on knowledge rather than propaganda. It achieves this by tracking viral claims about Ukraine and providing the public with tools for fact-checking. Run entirely by volunteers from across the political spectrum, the project is neither government nor privately funded. "We trace reports back to the source, and give readers tools they can use to judge for themselves where the truth lies. We believe in accuracy and transparency. Access to facts, and to the tools to check them, is vital to the ability of citizens to make informed decisions." - Ukraine Fact Check team. |
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On August 27th, the Mayor of Phoenix, Kate Gallego, attended the community gathering at the Ukrainian American Cultural Center in Phoenix, AZ. This is not the first time Mayor Gallego supported our community with her presence and addressed the audience with words of support. The Mayor provided us with an update on seized weapons transfer from Phoenix police department to Ukraine. The event was also attended by Luis Heredia - State Director for senator Mark Kelly's office. After the Mayor's address, guests honored Ukraine, our victims and fallen heroes in a heartfelt prayer. The event concluded with delicious lunch, community updates, and presentations. |
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Ukrainians gathered for a heartfelt outdoor event to honor Ukraine Independence Day and those who fell victims to Russian aggression. A community campsite on Mt. Lemmon, just outside of Tucson, AZ, was a temporary weekend home to over 50 people who came out to enjoy southern Arizona outdoors and cooler temperatures. Guests appreciated a tasty barbecue, met new friends and socialized by the fire. Paying respect to the fallen heroes was the highlight of this gathering. Organization kudos to the Melnyk family for bringing us all together! |
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On August 6th, Cactus and Tryzub hosted an appreciation yoga class followed by a small reception. Our dedicated volunteers, sponsors and supporters of our Ukraine support initiative were invited to attend. Zuzana Kolinkova has kindly offered up her yoga studio Metta Yoga to host us for this purpose and the well-respected Valley yoga instructor Don Bae guided us through the practice. The event concluded with social reception, wine and treats. |
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Please join us in saying "THANK YOU" to Kateryna Trokhymchuk. Katya lived in England since she was 3yo until recently. She found love here in sunny Arizona and moved to the Sonoran Desert several months ago. While settling with her fiancé Jacob, and discovering all that the Phoenix area has to offer, Kateryna has also been assisting Cactus and Tryzub with various graphic design projects. Both Jacob and Katya supported our recent Independence Day event by collecting donations and joining the patriotic motorcade. You can connect with Katya on social media here. Welcome to Arizona, Kateryna! |
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This September, Cactus and Truzub Founder - Irene Amrine - celebrates her birthday. Irene is one of the most passionate and dedicated people at our volunteer initiative. Her dedication for justice and Ukraine’s Victory goes above and beyond any expectations and resulted in many successful Ukraine support events, fundraisers and advocacy initiatives, etc. We are very proud to work side by side with such a great leader who shows the unconditional support for the team and our beloved country - Ukraine. We wish you many more years of success and prosperity in every aspect of your life. Happy Birthday, Irene! With love - Cactus and Tryzub Team |
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