Event will raise funds to help Ukrainian refugees, hospital. 

Yuri Oleksovskyi is awaiting deployment in the Ukrainian military.

Event will raise funds to help Ukrainian refugees, hospital. 

Around the County is a presentation of Preferred Credit Union, www.preferredcu.org, located locally at 266 N. Jebavy Dr., Ludington.

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.

HAMLIN TOWNSHIP — Yuri Oleksovskyi is a Ukrainian college student who has spent summers working at Barnhart’s Resort & Marina. He recently was conscripted into the Ukrainian military and is awaiting deployment to fight for his homeland. Barnhart’s owner Derek Boals has been in contact with Yuri since the Russian military invaded a couple weeks ago. 

“I asked Yuri if he was afraid to join the military and to fight for his country,” Boals said. “He said he wasn’t afraid to defend his home and was more afraid of being occupied by the Russians. I then asked him what we can do to help him and his people,” Boals said. “He said anything we can do will help. Any amount of money. Any amount of thoughts and prayers. Anything to let the Ukrainian people know that we support them. So, I started making some phone calls to friends in Mason County and they all agreed that they could help with some sort of fundraiser.” 

Because Barnhart’s is closed for the season, Boals started checking with fellow restaurant owners. Dr. Andrew Riemer, who owns the newly remodeled Stix Bar stepped up and offered to host a fundraising event. 

The event will be on Monday, March 14 at 5 to 9 p.m. All proceeds will be donated to aid the over 2 million refugees that have fled to Hungary and Poland, along with the new field hospital that has been established in Ukraine by Samaritan’s Purse. 

“I chose to work with Samaritan’s Purse in this effort for their integrity, transparency and guarantee that greater than 90 cents of every dollar goes directly to Ukraine.” said Riemer. 

The Stix staff will be donated its time to help with the event. Entertainment will be provided, for free, by Jimmy Dodson. 

“I can’t say enough about how great the community is coming together to help the Ukrainians,” Boals said. “We hire a lot of visiting workers from other countries and they all connect well in our community and form great friendships.” 

Anyone who cannot attend and wants to donate, please contact Marissa at (231) 845-8181 or stop by the restaurant. Stix is located at 1963 N. Lakeshore Drive. 

“I would like to thank Jimmy Dodson, Mark and Dr. Jennifer Branning, Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole, Sen. Curt Vanderwall, Tad Reed of Ludignton Beverage, Ryan Glanville, and of course, Dr. Riemer and the staff at Styx. They all have been great in helping with this,” Boals said.

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