Armor vests donated to Ukraine's people by Schuylkill police departments
Jul. 2—SHENANDOAH — Thirty-seven armor vests will be donated to Ukraine's people to help in battle against Russia.
The vests were obtained through a campaign spearheaded by Frackville attorney Michael J. O'Connor and donations from four Schuylkill County police departments.
During a program Friday on the steps of St. Michael Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, O'Connor said it is fitting that the donation is announced in front of the first and oldest Ukrainian Greek Catholic parish in the country. Also, he said, Schuylkill County has the highest concentration of Ukrainians than any other county in the U.S.
"We have been greatly disturbed and saddened by the images from Ukraine on our nightly news," O'Connor said. "We want to offer more than prayers to help these incredibly brave people as they face Russia's unprovoked, violent invasion."
O'Connor said his law office, O'Connor Law, partnered with Sen. Marty Flynn, D-22, Dunmore; Sen. David G. Argall, R-29, Rush Twp.; Rep. Gerald Mullery, D-119, Newport Twp.; Rep. Tim Twardzik, R-123, Butler Twp.; and St. Vladimir Ukrainian Catholic Church of Scranton to provide the "much needed" equipment.
"The Ukrainian people are in dire need of body armor of any kind," O'Connor said. "This is a situation where body armor could be the difference between life and death."
O'Connor said police departments throughout Schuylkill County were contacted, resulting in the 37 vests being acquired.
The Pottsville Bureau of Police donated 16 vests, with the others coming from departments in Frackville, Shenandoah and Branch Twp.
"They may not be the most up-to-date, but they can still stop a bullet and save a life," O'Connor said.
The Rev. Michael Hutsko, pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Church in Mount Carmel and of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Centralia, said the donation is not only designed to protect lives but to show support for the Ukrainian people.
"We are doing what we can, and this is just a little part of that," Hutsko said.
Argall said his legislative district probably has more Ukrainian people per capita than any other place in the United States.
People banding together to help men, women and children in Ukraine is part of an individual effort to help stop what he called war criminals such as Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Paraphrasing the Boy Scouts of America, Argall called the effort to get armor vests "a really good deed."
Hutsko said Ukrainians did not asked to be placed in the middle of a war zone and simply want their lives to be returned to normal, or as normal as possible.
"People of the Ukraine simply want to live in freedom, the same freedom we live in here," he said. "It's a tremendous gift."
