Ukraine Refugee Assistance

In reply to Hungary Bill (Forum Supporter) :

We've been out of commission recovering from a few financial setbacks here, but we're ready to help moderately with clothes or a backpack (or just more stuffies). Thanks guys!

tuna55 said:

In reply to Hungary Bill (Forum Supporter) :

We've been out of commission recovering from a few financial setbacks here, but we're ready to help moderately with clothes or a backpack (or just more stuffies). Thanks guys!

Dont worry, we're 100% in the same boat.  The way things worked out, we're glad we paid for the Africa trip over a year ago (b-day present from Mrs. Hungary that COVID delayed) otherwise it'd be "no dice".

That backpack I found was so cheap I really wanted to click "buy now" but couldn't...  It sucks.

However, this came across my feed today and I think it's worth remembering:



 

VikkiDp said:

In reply to Hungary Bill (Forum Supporter) :

I'll ask his wife about the clothing size this evening - i'm not sure if i can contact him soon - usually he comes home at weekends(not every weekends)

Bill, is the truck ready to Africa?

Stay touch 

 

It is not.  I just got some parts in the mail though, so I'm good for a mad-thrash to get it into shape.  Mostly it's just the windows that are holding me back now, so worst case scenario we head into Africa the same way I went into Ukraine

The channel is open to receive donations and I've posted it on my social media accounts.  We'll collect for 9-days, but I'll purchase items locally as I can.  If I cant get it sent before I head out, then Mrs. Hungary will still be able to swing by the post office.

Good times.

Hungary Bill (Forum Supporter) said:

The channel is open to receive donations and I've posted it on my social media accounts.  We'll collect for 9-days, but I'll purchase items locally as I can.  If I cant get it sent before I head out, then Mrs. Hungary will still be able to swing by the post office.

Good times.

Does that mean that she'll be able to compile and ship items to VikkiDp for her neighbor if we can manage to get a care package pulled together? If we can drop-ship items to your place and she can send them, that will be one less thing that you have to get bogged down in.

Hungary Bill (Forum Supporter) said:

Milsurp is NOOOOOOO problem out here.

That's excellent news. I noticed the site you linked is in the Czech republic, but apparently they'll ship to Hungary for 8 Euro or so. Cheap!  Is that the best approach, or is there a Hungarian seller we should be looking at first?

DarkMonohue said:

Hungary Bill (Forum Supporter) said:

The channel is open to receive donations and I've posted it on my social media accounts.  We'll collect for 9-days, but I'll purchase items locally as I can.  If I cant get it sent before I head out, then Mrs. Hungary will still be able to swing by the post office.

Good times.

Does that mean that she'll be able to compile and ship items to VikkiDp for her neighbor if we can manage to get a care package pulled together? If we can drop-ship items to your place and she can send them, that will be one less thing that you have to get bogged down in.

Yeah, absolutely!  But let me know what you order (either here or in PM's) as someone has to be home to collect delivery.  The postal couriers will absolutely not leave a package unattended so we have to know to be on the lookout.

The only exception would be the thermals.  I may be able to find them cheaper locally at a hunting goods store.

DarkMonohue said:

Hungary Bill (Forum Supporter) said:

Milsurp is NOOOOOOO problem out here.

That's excellent news. I noticed the site you linked is in the Czech republic, but apparently they'll ship to Hungary for 8 Euro or so. Cheap!  Is that the best approach, or is there a Hungarian seller we should be looking at first?

Even better:

WE JUST ORDERED THE BACKPACK!!!!!!

Man, I just went for it.  The donation came in, and I clicked "buy".  I hope you guys don't mind, but I had to pick the "Digital AT" instead of the Multicam (out of stock).  Also, I sprung for the next size up.  I thought 36 liters was a safer bet than the smaller one I already posted.

Ok.  Next up:  Collect, get sizes for thermals, and purchase.

Estimated delivery date for the backpack is Thursday

You guys are the best.

I was able to talk to my neighbor 

list needs from him

* backpack - this one COLOR VARIANT – CAMOUFLAGE CENTRE EUROPE

https://en.top-armyshop.eu/military-bag-us-assault-pack-small-mil-tec?gclid=CjwKCAjws--ZBhAXEiwAv-RNL4rQ77UiIRPfw9ygrDwRacLMPDC9bX6CJ5c1p1L4eValv69BaGZVtRoCmbAQAvD_BwE#38713

*thermals (longsleeves and pants) measuring -  bust 106-108cm(42,5 inch), waist 94-96cm(37.8 inch), height 180cm(71 inch) 

 i suppose it's XL size

*socks 43 size - 27.5-27.7cm(10.63 inch)

*T-shirt, XL size, cotton

*hat, head 56cm(22 inch)

*gloves - big size

*powerful powerbank

Any help will be appreciate!!!

In reply to Hungary Bill (Forum Supporter) :

Wooowww!!! Amazing!!! So fast 

Hi Vicki - Do you have paypal or venmo to accept donations?  I'm guessing you are better at buying and receiving than we are?

I just sent you some Bill before realizing that the backpack was already purchased. Use as best you see fit! 

DarkMonohue said:

Those E36 M3 eating soviet savages...

I need to address something here. There are no Soviets in play here. No Nazis either.

I understand that the Soviet Union has been our boogie man for the last 80 years or so in spite of the fact that it hasn't existed for the last 30 years or so. While the soviet union straight up sucked, it's continued vilification serves no purpouse in this or any other modern conflict.

This is a far right Autocrat and his Oligarchs sending conscripts to invade a sovereign nation for dirt. It is old fashioned imperialism. Let's not lose sight of that.

In reply to AClockworkGarage :

Thanks for the clarification. I may inadvertently choose the wrong adjective when describing those who are, for whatever reason, lobbing missiles at my friends. 

BAM!  Stop the clock!

Holy smokes you guys!!!!  

Ok...  Wow.

Our donation drive started on 10/4 at exactly 0615 hours and ends now.

We asked for:

- Backpack

- Thermals/Socks

- IFAK

- Tourniquets

Are you ready to see what we bought?

Because I don't think you're ready to see what we bought

You're looking at the following:

- Backpack (previously ordered, due in tomorrow)

- 25-pairs of army socks

- 2ea SOF Tactical tourniquets

- Winter knit cap, army green

- IFAK guts (tourniquet, Israeli bandage, chest seal, gloves, gauze, emergency blanket)

- IFAK pouch

- 3M negative 40deg C rated winter gloves

- 50,000mAH power-pack with every connection you can think of

- 2ea tourniquet holders

- Outdoor tactical vest in multi-cam

- 3 pairs of men's thermal underwear (tops and bottoms) in army green

And I still had money left over!

(I tried to purchase more thermal underwear to spend everything donated, but 3 seemed to be all the available stock for that particular set.  I ported all remaining money to the Kisgorbo fund)

Normally I say "thank you guys" but I don't think that quite cuts it in this case.  And I don't know what the record is for a complete kit-out is, but I think you all just demolished it.  Every off-hand item that was mentioned that "could be helpful" was purchased.  Right down to the power-pack.

If anyone out there still want's to purchase anything off of Amazon.de and send it my way, just let me know and I'll make sure we add it to the collection before we send it all off.  PM me if you need the address.

Thank you, guys.  That was a wild ride.

Hey guys, I owe you one more update before I hit the rack.  You have a letter from Mayor Kozma:

Mayor Kozma said:

Dear Bill,
Again, thank you very much for your support. Now there are more than 190 ! day we take care of the refugees together in Kisgörbő. There are currently 16 of them, another 3 people plan to leave the shelter in the near future. They want to thrive in France. They managed to place 5 children in the nearby school, kindergarten. That's a big deal because we were a little afraid of their integration. They learn Hungarian, it's not an easy language. :) The colds are coming, we started heating them with the cooling-heating climate. Electricity in Hungary, and gas prices I don't think need to be presented to you, have become hugely more expensive. We hired one of the ladies to work for the municipality, She helps the village 6 hours a day, so her little girl can go to the kindergarten. As we talked, and we knew the color of the donations, something came in every now and then. But we do not complain, we solve everything. 

The fact that a quartet of donations has been collected from you is no problem! All help-help! So please don't apologize. This month we are already starting to teach Hungarian locally in the shelter, we just had to wait for a package of Hungarian-Ukrainian language books from Ukraine. I want to organise this with volunteers.It is a great thing and a courageous act that you, you, are constantly taking care of the delivery of donations to Ukraine. You couldn't get a more real, authentic picture of the situations there. But perhaps you do not need to be introduced to the world of operational and operational areas. This can only really be understood by those who have been soldiers in some form or have served as soldiers, and with military technology. It's a different world! 

So we're done, we're paying attention to the culture, we also had an opera night in this month, where one of the Ukrainian refugee ladies performed, with her dance art. It was very touching and original. After all, he was able to show his homeschooling knowledge a little bit to the 140-person audience."
I wish you and the community good health! 

Kozma Gábor

I sure do wish I could have been there for that Opera Night.  That must have been something to see.

Javelin said:

I just sent you some Bill before realizing that the backpack was already purchased. Use as best you see fit! 

We got it sir!  I hope you approve of the shopping list

Hungary Bill (Forum Supporter) said:

BAM!  Stop the clock!

Holy smokes you guys!!!!  

Ok...  Wow.

Our donation drive started on 10/4 at exactly 0615 hours and ends now.

What the...WOW!  That happened too fast for me. I'll try to make it up on the monthly!

How cool is it that stuff like this just sort of works?

In reply to DarkMonohue :

Right???  I was reluctant to add the tourniquets as they were a whole $126 for the pair, and then... 

The backpack will be here today between 8am and 11am and I cant wait to see it.  I'll put everything else we ordered inside and find a good box to send it all in.

A couple things I don't think I mentioned during all this:

- we received 91,500huf from the group that took a collection at their trivia night.  We'll be putting that towards the Dnipro Rehabilitation Center Run.

-Someone sent my mom $200 that she kicked our way.  I'm going to add that to our Kisgorbo fund, and if we go over budget this month then I'll send it to Ira in Budapest.

Absolutely good times 

Oh, yesss!!! It was incredibly fast, just amazing!!!

BIG thanks all those people who was helped with it!!! Being together is so powerful!!!

Bill, thank you again!!!

 My respects to Mayor Kozma and the residents for their supporting refugees! They're doing good things!

Bill, say it to him from me 

You're absolutely right - good times 

Hungary Bill (Forum Supporter) said:

-we received 91,500huf from the group that took a collection at their trivia night.  We'll be putting that towards the Dnipro Rehabilitation Center Run.

-Someone sent my mom $200 that she kicked our way.  I'm going to add that to our Kisgorbo fund, and if we go over budget this month then I'll send it to Ira in Budapest.

Absolutely good times 

Great news and good start 

In reply to Hungary Bill (Forum Supporter) :

 I’ve been using Russian words this whole time and I do feel a bit embarrassed as I could have easily learned a FEW Ukrainian words by now, but there always seems to be something keeping me busy…

 They learn Hungarian, it's not an easy language 

It reminded me of a funny story on this topic. Let me tell you about this.

When i was getting ready to my travel to Hungary(by the way it was my firs trip abroad Ukraine) and then i didn't speak English(thanks, hello, please ... - don't count).

i thought that it'll be a good idea to learn some Hungarian words to say "hello" or "thanks"

It looked like these:

Szia, Nagyon köszönöm, Jó napot, viszontlátásra, Mondd el kérlek

Whaaat! what is it? my BIG eyes... i even can't read these  I'm not sure i can remember it.

Eventually everything went well  but i decided to start learning English to feel free on my travels 

The other story is that there weren't any travels abroad for the last almost three years  but it's good that i have a possibility to travel Ukraine

Bill, i forgot to say you - your idea with papers messages is really GENIUS!!! 

I usually plan my routs in advance and print them because i don't have data service abroad  

Budapest

In reply to VikkiDp :

You know, that reminds me:

So half way through our drive, Vikki and I have been talking non-stop this whole time.  We're making plans, she's giving me directions, we're having a casual conversation, and she says "you know, this is the first time I've spoken English"



What???

Now I've spent YEARS trying to learn Hungarian, and while Vikki's complaints are valid, this whole time I thought she must have learned English as a child.  I mean she doesn't miss a word!

Nope, just like that.  She learned English, but never had an occasion to actually speak it before now.

Absolutely incredible.

We got the backpack!!

It was waiting for me when I got in yesterday:

I'm glad I opted for the 36 liter one, because it is smaller than I was expecting!  It's intelligently built though to fold down flat when it's empty, and I can see that it's going to be able to carry LOTS of stuff.  I can't wait to pack it full of all the stuff we have on order.

Happy Friday everyone!

Dnipro and just about every other significant population center in Ukraine is under attack.

Vikki says her city has been hit more time than she can count.  She's currently sheltering in place.  Please keep her and everyone else in your thoughts.

Hopefully this will all be over soon.