Stories from Ukraine

Millions of Ukrainians have been displaced. Many have sought refuge outside the country. Lives have been disrupted. Hope is hard to find. But one of our own—a Sedonan—has taken an active role in providing relief to victims of this nearly year-old conflict. Mark Cary is a 55-year-old retired Marine and Border Patrol Officer. When the Russian military invaded Ukraine his first instinct was to heed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s call for foreign fighters to support Ukrainian troops. But ultimately, he had a better idea. He called his son, Shane, in California with a proposal. Over 60 people attended Mark's Jan. 10 presentation to Rotary Club of Sedona and heard how he and his son have been back and forth to Ukraine offering aide and support to displaced Ukrainians. “I don’t feel like I can sit back and do nothing while people’s entire lives are being destroyed,” Cary said. “And if I can help someone and have an impact, I believe that is a way to help heal the world.”