News Photo by Darby Hinkley Pictured, from left to right, are Stefanie Huffaker of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ellen Eagan of Trinity Episcopal Church, Tammy Hermansen of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Deb McClure of Trinity Episcopal Church, Cindy DeRocher of Alpena Community College women’s athletics, and Gerry Cawthra of Trinity Episcopal Church Women. Eagan and McClure are wearing felt hearts in the colors of the Ukrainian flag, and McClure is holding a blue and yellow rock painted by Pat Manning, one of the artists at Thunder Bay Arts Gallery.

ALPENA — If you’ve been wondering how to help the people of Ukraine, a group of local women have come up with some ideas.

A rummage sale, bake sale, silent art auction, and bazaar will be held in the ballroom at the APlex, 701 Woodward Ave.

Donation drop-off will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on April 20 and 21, and the sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, April 22 and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 23.

This community fundraiser is hosted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the women of Trinity Episcopal Church, and Alpena Community College women’s athletics.

“We’re asking for donations of clean, gently used, working items,” said Tammy Hermansen of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Items can be dropped off prior to the sale at Trinity Episcopal Church on Washington Avenue.

Stefanie Huffaker explained how this group of women came together to organize this event. She is also a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“In our church, March is the annual birthday for our women’s organization,” Huffaker said. “Our organization is called The Relief Society. Tammy’s the president.”

The church is located at 411 Long Rapids Plaza in Alpena.

Hermansen wanted to commemorate the women’s organization’s 180th birthday by doing some kind of community service. After some brainstorming, they came to the conclusion that helping the women and children of Ukraine is vital right now. So they reached out to some other women’s groups, including the Trinity Episcopal Church Women and Alpena Community College Athletic Director Cindy DeRocher.

“Each person that we talked to, it just seemed to grow,” Huffaker explained, adding that she is not the only one feeling sick over what she sees on the nightly news about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“It was a miracle that the lady at the APlex offered us the ballroom,” Huffaker said of Denise Donakowski at the APlex. “So we just keep talking about it, and I think that has been what’s making it grow.”

Huffaker said as the group was thinking and praying about what to do, they asked, “How do we stretch out into the community, as women, and tap into that natural inclination that women have, to care for people?”

The group researched and carefully selected a reputable charity called Save The Children. For more information about Save The Children, click on the donation link on the group’s Facebook page at Ukrainian Refugee Fundraiser-Alpena, or visit support.savethechildren.org.

“One of the things they say right on their website, as far as what they provide, besides food and water and psychological counseling, and cash assistance, is protection against that trafficking, and safe places,” Huffaker said.

“Not only are they benefiting the children, but they are benefiting the families,” Hermansen added.

“Most of the refugees are women, children, and Grandma and Grandpa,” Huffaker said. “All the men are in Ukraine, still, fighting.”

“I just think people are sick of winter, sick of COVID, sick of what they’re watching on the news, and just this feeling of doom and gloom in the world, and they want to feel good and do good,” Huffaker said.

“We live in a marvelous community,” Hermansen added. “People want to give. The people that we’ve talked to about it … their hearts are just being torn by the tragedies that we’re seeing on the news. People want to help.”

Their donation goal is $15,000, which they hope to exceed.

If you have questions about the local event, call 989-217-6335. The Facebook page will give more details on items that can and cannot be accepted. Items that cannot be accepted include mattresses, pillows, and upholstered furniture.

You can help support this cause in several ways:

¯ Donate clean, gently used items to the sale.

¯ Purchase items from the sale.

¯ Donate artwork to the silent art auction.

¯ Participate in the silent art auction.

¯ Sign up to volunteer at the event.

¯ Donate online by clicking on the donation link on the group’s Facebook page.

¯ Donate in-person or by mailing a check to Trinity Episcopal Church, 124 E. Washington Ave., Alpena, Michigan, 49707. Make checks payable to Save the Children. Note Ukrainian Refugee Fundraiser-Alpena in the memo line of the check.

The women hope to motivate others to continue fundraising to help Ukrainian refugees, especially the women and children, many of whom are orphans. Many have fallen victim to sex trafficking and labor trafficking, and are being taken advantage of as they flee the country attempting to seek refuge.

“It’s just literal chaos over there,” Huffaker said.

Huffaker wants to inspire the local community to keep helping those who need it most, at home and abroad.

“Our hope is that when they get there, and they see what is happening, and they feel what is happening, that they will want to do more than what they came prepared to do,” Huffaker added.

“We often talk about doing things larger than ourselves, larger than our team,” said ACC Athletic Director Cindy DeRocher. “We ask students, not just athletes, but students in general, to do something that’s going to make you feel good. This is a perfect opportunity. It’s just a good project … Students care, and this is the way you get them involved to care more.”

“I think that we have some very generous people here, and some of us like to have a challenge,” said Ellen Eagan of Trinity Episcopal Church.

Deb McClure, also of Trinity, works part-time at Thunder Bay Arts Council.

“I have invited several of our artists to bring bazaar-type items,” she said, such as the blue and yellow felt heart pins McClure and Eagan were wearing, as well as rocks painted blue and yellow to represent the colors of the Ukrainian flag. Local artist Pat Manning made those items, which will be for sale alongside other arts and crafts.

Gerry Cawthra, president of the Trinity Episcopal Church Women, is also on the committee for this event.

“They’re always looking for outreach programs,” McClure said of the TEC Women. “That’s what they’re about. She’s been wonderful at getting people to donate and sign up for times,” McClure said of Cawthra.

“I’ve been trying to spread the word about this rummage sale,” Cawthra said.

She is glad to be a part of such an energized, motivated, active group of women, but they added that a number of men have been working behind the scenes to make this event happen as well. All support is welcome.