As many of you have already heard, Easton, Connecticut, and Sviatohirsk, Ukraine, have recently established a vital sister city relationship that promises to build a strong cultural and economic bond between the two towns. The relationship was officially established in March of 2023, and already the two towns are working together to provide essential aid to Sviatohirsk.

*Easton is partnering with Sviatohirsk to provide humanitarian aid. – Photo courtesy of UAI.*

Sviatohirsk has appealed to Easton for help in obtaining crucial items, including a water truck, dump truck, garbage trucks, and other equipment, which are needed to clean up the town, its soil, and protect its water quality. These items were taken away from the residents of Sviatohirsk by the Russians during their retreat late last year, and Sviatohirsk has been struggling to maintain its water quality and rebuild its farmlands and food supplies. Easton, home to much of Fairfield County’s drinking water and surrounding watershed, understands how critical it is to protect the water table.

Easton, home to over twenty operating farms, also understands the importance of a town‘s farmland and its food supply. As part of the Westport-Lyman sister city program, Ukraine Aid International recently provided the city of Lyman with seeds to replant residents’ “victory” gardens, supported by donations from the people of Westport.

Easton can do the same for its sister city, Sviatohirsk, by helping to raise funds to purchase the necessary seeds to replant the area’s fields. In the short term, Easton is providing essential aid to Sviatohirsk, including the trucks and equipment that the town urgently needs to rebuild. The two towns are working together to create a sustainable future and to build a cultural and economic bond that will stand the test of time and benefit both communities for years to come.

Irv Silverman of Silverman’s Farm has been a major advocate for protecting Easton’s watershed and farm land since he took over his father Ben’s farm established over one hundred years ago. For the second summer in a row, Irv will be planting a giant sunflower field in front of Samuel Staples Elementary School, to show Easton’s support for Ukraine.

This year, the field will cover seven acres and include multiple colors and varieties. The field is expected to bloom the end of May and early June. The sunflower is the national flower of Ukraine, and the field is meant to remind people of the struggle for freedom that the residents of Ukraine are undergoing.

“The field reminds us that we are so lucky to have our freedom, and we pray for the same for Ukraine,” Silverman said.

This fundraising initiative is an opportunity for everyone in Easton to contribute to building a stronger, more sustainable world, as well as a testament to the bond between Easton and Sviatohirsk.

What we’re raising for Sviatohirsk:

$100,000 to repair apartment building damages – labor and materials
$75,000 to repair access bridges and roads so commercial shipping and aid deliveries can resume (see photos below)
$50,000 to repair municipal buildings (schools, hospitals, city hall)
$20,000 for a dump truck to clear rubble from the city, so they can start rebuilding and town life can return to normal
$14,000 for two trash trucks to clear residential areas
$14,000 for 1,000 bags of seeds (about half a ton) for farmers to replant destroyed crops
$8,500 for a water filtration system to supply the entire town with clean drinkable water

The sister city relationship between Easton and Sviatohirsk is a sign of hope in a world that often seems divided. The two towns are working together to create a sustainable future, and they are committed to building a cultural and economic bond that will stand the test of time.

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation at www.ukraineaidinternational.org/donate. Donors should select the designation “Easton – Sviatohirsk Sister City” to ensure that their contribution goes directly to Sviatohirsk.