Islip partnering with church to help displaced Ukrainians
The tiny Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church, on Higbie Lane in West Islip, is shown on Tuesday, April 5, 2022. Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas
To help Ukrainian citizens who were uprooted by Russia's invasion, the Town of Islip is collaborating with Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church in West Islip to collect donations.
The church recently announced its need for medical items, such as first aid kits, tourniquets and blood clotting agents, like BleedStop. Monetary donations will also be accepted and checks can be made payable to the Ukrainian church, organizers said.
“This terrible situation in Ukraine has shown the humanity in residents here in the Town of Islip,” Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter said. “People want to help, and this is a great way to support them."
Carpenter recently spotlighted church leader Father Victor Wronksy in a video segment on the town's website to discuss the war and how the conflict affects those living on Long Island.
Wronksy said his parents emigrated from Ukraine to the United States during World War II. The world is watching today's conflict play out "in real time," he said. Both he and his wife have relatives in Ukraine, including a cousin who is hiding in their basement.
Wronsky, a first-generation American, said he tries to spread the message of love “thy neighbor.” He told Carpenter that one day upon arriving at the church, he struggled to open the doors, because they were blocked by a mountain of donations.
“It’s so beautiful to see the support that we've seen," Wronksy told Newsday. "I never expected in my life to see such wonderful support from not only the Islip community, but Long Island as well.”
Donations may be dropped off at two sites: the Town Hall at 655 Main St. in Islip and Higbie Lane Community Center at 90 Higbie Lane in West Islip. Donations will be accepted until further notice.
Brinley Hineman covers the Town of Hempstead and the City of Long Beach for Newsday. She previously was a reporter in Nashville, Tennessee, and is a West Virginia native.
