For Halyna Khrystych, volunteering is a personal, patriotic and political endeavor.
Her volunteer work focuses on Ukraine, where she was born, and the Ukrainian American community in the Twin Cities.
As a recent immigrant from Ukraine herself, she has an idea of what newcomers may need. Now a resident of St. Louis Park, the 71-year-old retired schoolteacher wants to help support Ukraine in its defense against Russia — a war that killed about 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers and displaced some 10.2 million people.
At least 16,000 Ukrainian Americans live in Minnesota, mostly in the Twin Cities area, a number that has grown as refugees have emigrated from Ukraine since Russia invaded that country in February 2022.
We spoke with Khrystych about her volunteer work, with interpretation help from Nataliia Savina and Victoria Solntseva of the Ukrainian American Community Center in Minneapolis. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What type of volunteering do you do?
I’ve been knitting winter hats and gloves for soldiers in Ukraine since the war began in 2022. I’ve made about 50 sets. Some go to my nephew Oleksander and his team who are fighting on the front lines in Ukraine.
Do you do other volunteering activities for people in the United States?
Yes. I crochet hot plates, pillowcases and chair cushions for my church, St. Katherine Orthodox Church in Arden Hills, which gives them to needy families.
I also teach people how to make a vinok, a traditional Ukrainian flower hair wreath, at the annual Ivana Kupala MN Ukrainian summer solstice festival in North Branch.
