New York state's first lady launches wheelchair distribution project in Ukraine (06/19/05)

New York state's first lady launches wheelchair distribution project in Ukraine

by Zenon Zawada
Kyiv Press Bureau

KYIV - Libby Pataki, wife of New York Gov. George Pataki, led a delegation to Kyiv on June 13 to launch a wheelchair distribution project that may eventually broaden its scope to help nearly every Ukrainian in need of improved mobility.

Disabled children and elders delighted at the sight of 280 new, high-quality wheelchairs arranged in front of a Kyiv nursing home. Among those attending the presentation ceremony were Ukrainian First Lady Kateryna Yushchenko, United Ukrainian American Relief Committee President Dr. Larissa Kyj, Ukrainian Institute of America President Walter Nazarewicz and Vladimir Todorovic, regional director of operations of the Wheelchair Foundation.

"A measure of a civilization is how it regards people with special needs," Mrs. Yushchenko said. "We will work for these people to lead lives of full value."

In addition to enhancing the mobility opportunities for some of Kyiv's disabled, the charity effort also provided an opportunity for Mrs. Yushchenko to develop closer ties with Mrs. Pataki.

At a private meeting with Mrs. Pataki and her delegation prior to the ceremony, Mrs. Yushchenko said she and her husband, President Viktor Yushchenko, will visit New York in September so that he could attend the United Nations General Assembly's opening session.

The two women discussed the possibility of meeting then, along with their influential husbands.

In the discussions with Mrs. Pataki, Mrs. Yushchenko placed heavy emphasis on Ukrainian investment opportunities and economic potential in Ukraine, particularly with regard to manufacturing equipment for the disabled.

She invited Mrs. Pataki to lead a business delegation to Ukraine, and encouraged investment in Ukraine's wheelchair production capabilities, specifically referring to a factory in Lviv.

Ukraine could become a production center for other countries, she said.

"We are the center of Europe, so we'd like to speak with investors at some point," Mrs. Yushchenko told Mrs. Pataki.

In fact, Ukraine's wheelchair production currently accommodates 70 percent of the nation's need, a rate that deeply impressed Mrs. Pataki.

The Yushchenko administration has also created a five-year plan to improve the lives of disabled Ukrainians, Mrs. Yushchenko said, including creating more jobs and forming a Ukrainian Paralympics Committee. Paralympics are elite sport events for athletes from six different disability groups.

"Another area that's important is the economic aspects of integrating the disabled into society," Mrs. Yushchenko said, adding that Ukraine has to make physical structures more accessible to the disabled, but simultaneously has a limited budget to work with.

She told Mrs. Pataki that Ukraine could use economic advice from a state such as New York, which has made much of its urban areas accessible to disabled people, such as ramps at most, if not all, urban pedestrian intersections.

At the public ceremony, Mrs. Pataki extended particular gratitude to Orysia Woloszyn-Dmytrenko for organizing the American delegation's trip and leading the fund-raising efforts within the Ukrainian community in America.

Ms. Woloszyn-Dmytrenko had worked in Gov. Pataki's office for 10 years. Mrs. Pataki contacted her with the hope that she would serve as a liaison between the Wheelchair Foundation and Ukraine. Also providing assistance was Vera Prinko of Kyiv, who coordinated much of the activity in Ukraine.

At their morning meeting, Mrs. Pataki and Mr. Todorovic told Mrs. Yushchenko during their meeting that they would consider a project that would help every single Ukrainian who needs a new wheelchair.

They managed to achieve such a lofty goal in countries such as the Dominican Republic, which is considerably smaller in geography.

"I look forward to working with your first lady in the future as we strive to bring hope to all physically challenged people in Ukraine, and most importantly, help individuals integrate into society," Mrs. Pataki told the Kyiv audience.

The Wheelchair Foundation has already provided Ukrainians with more than 3,000 wheelchairs.

Ukrainian American individuals and organizations managed to raise $42,000 to buy high-quality wheelchairs, Ms. Woloszyn-Dmytrenko said. The Wheelchair Foundation matches every dollar, raising the total to $84,000 - or enough to pay for 560 wheelchairs.

Fund-raising began at a December event hosted by the Ukrainian Institute of America and attended by Mrs. Pataki. It was successful in raising publicity, Ms. Woloszyn-Dmytrenko said.

"The call was answered by Ukrainian Americans all over the country," she said. "We received checks from Arizona, Wisconsin and California."

The second container of 280 wheelchairs should arrive in Kyiv in the wintertime, she said.

Ukrainian American organizations contributing funds to the project were the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America, Self Reliance (New York) Federal Credit Union, the (SUMA) Yonkers Federal Credit Union and the Ukrainian Institute of America.

The Chopivsky Foundation also paid for 100 wheelchairs, which included the foundation's matching funds, she said.

Lufthansa Airlines sponsored the delegation's flight to Kyiv.

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