SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KGTV) — Dozens of people in blue and gold gathered at Balboa park on Saturday to make sure San Diego doesn’t forget about the war in Ukraine.
In fact, they’ve gathered there most Saturdays since the war started back in February.
For many of them, the decision to come back week after week, with signs and flags waving, is personal.
“There are soldiers in my family,” Svitlana Radulovic shared with ABC 10News.
Svitlana Radulovic says her family lives in Western Ukraine. They are farmers who are now working to help their armed forces.
“This war isn’t just about Ukraine. The very concept of democracy is under threat,” she said.
Olena Khanasyk shared that her father is also fighting on the front lines.
“Every day when I cannot call him, I call my mom and ask her where he is,” she said.
Khanasyk was in Ukraine when the invasion happened. “It was an awful time for me and my family,” she said. She just arrived in San Diego two weeks ago.
Saturday marks day 157 of the war.
Nadia Haywas, the president of the House of Ukraine in Balboa Park, says they’ll continue to show up to raise awareness about what life has become in Ukraine.
“Whether you take your children to school or to the park…you can never be sure that you will be going home or if you do go home…that there’s a home there,” she said.
So as Ukraine continues its fight, they’ll keep up the fight here – to make sure their struggle gets the attention in SoCal.
Supporters added they hope San Diegans see them and want to get involved. They say people can help by writing to their elected officials, donating to the House of Ukraine, or by simply joining them. They say anyone is welcome: they meet in Balboa Park each Saturday at 4 p.m.
