By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

FRYEBURG — As Mary Brigid Curtis watched the Russian invasion of Ukraine — seeing homes destroyed, innocent people killed, and families fleeing to nearby Poland for safety — she instantly knew she had to do something.

As a project manager, the Casco resident considers herself somewhat of a “fixer.” While she knows the war in Ukraine has no easy fix, Curtis feels volunteering her time to help refuges is her part in the overall solution.

So, Curtis recruited her sister, Sheila Donahue of Norway, and signed on to work at the World Central Kitchen at the Poland-Ukraine border. They took a flight out of Boston on Sunday, and arrived Monday morning in Poland, followed up with a three-hour ride to their destination.

But, before the sisters made their humanitarian trip, they spent a few hours on Friday with Molly Ockett School third graders, who decided as their way to help the Ukrainians, they and their families collected a variety of items from tooth brushes, tooth paste, deodorant, nail clippers, combs and towels and created care packages with the help of teacher Brian Cushing. Those care kits included personal messages, which students wrote in Ukrainian along with colorful drawings. The kits were placed in two large suitcases.

“These kids are amazing,” Curtis said.

The connection between Curtis and Donahue with the Molly Ockett third graders came out of the blue. Donahue has a friend, whom she worked with who knows Cushing (they attend the same church, the First Congregational Church in Bridgton). 

“Through that mutual friend, this all started,” Curtis said.

The ball actually started to roll a short time after Russia invaded Ukraine in late February.

“I thought to myself I want to do something. At that time, I sent an Instagram message to chef (José) André, who established World Central Kitchen. I never heard back. Then in late March or early April, I said I need to do something, so I went online to World Central Kitchen, saw open volunteer slots and picked a slot, booked an apartment in the town where we will be staying, got a rental car and mentioned to Sheila, ‘Hey, I’m doing this.’ The next day, she signed up. We both got time off from work,” Curtis said. “This was very different. Russia attacked another country — bullying. Ukrainians fighting back, tooth and nail. To me, it just struck a chord.”

Chef André has restaurants in Washington, D.C. and New York. He started World Central Kitchen in 2010 when the Haitian earthquake happened. WCK goes anywhere around the world immediately, sets up kitchens and temporary food services for people. The war in Ukraine started on Feb. 24, and World Central Kitchen set up operation on Feb. 25. They work with restaurants already in Ukraine, and get in shipments of fresh food. Towns cleared from Russians, find local chefs, foods you need — vegetables and fruit — and get them those food items.

“He believes in getting ‘hot’ food to the people, not sandwiches. They have chefs cooking. He believes food establishes conversation, hope and community. That’s what they need — a moment to breathe, they need good food in their bellies, it gives them hope that the world is not forgetting them,” Donahue said.

Donahue, who works as Walmart distributor and formerly taught at New Suncook School in Lovell, initially though the idea was “outrageous.”

“But, I loved the idea. I needed to think about it. The next day, I told her ‘I’m in,’ and we signed up,” she said. “The decision to go is coming from a place that you can’t stand by and watch this happen without doing something.”

While the sisters traveled to England, Ireland and Scotland years ago, signing on for a relief effort was a first.

The sisters will be in Poland for eight days. Volunteers work around the clock. During their off time, Mary Brigid and Sheila plan to “check out the local architecture and spend time talking with some of the people.”

“We’re standing up in a moment in time when people need to stand up. Every single Ukrainian is standing up. I’ll be darn if I’m not one of those people too. Some people, sending money to help, is what they can do. That is their standing up, and that’s outstanding. I feel like, why not me? Do I really have time to be out of work? Not really, but how can I not do this?” Donahue said. 

Curtis added, “You pick and choose priorities, what is important. The Ukrainians need help. It was important to me to do more than just send money.”

The sisters will work “the distribution shift” from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. 

“We don’t know if that means taking the food that has been prepared in the kitchen to different refugee camps or serving the people. We don’t know. They don’t tell you. There is a food preparation volunteer shift in distribution, but when I went to sign up, the only slots left were night shift production. The day before there were 14 slots,” Curtis said.

What was her husband’s reaction to making the trip? “He was really excited for me. He said, ‘I’m a little concerned (I’m a project manager — I’m a fixer) that you are going to get over there and it will be so overwhelming that you can’t fix anything. I said he was right. I can’t fix individual cases and I am sure it will be heartbreaking, but it will be fulfilling in general,” she said.

It warmed the sisters’ hearts when they heard about the Molly Ockett third graders’ efforts. 

“The kids were unbelievable. The fact that a teacher introduced them to this, and the kids wrote messages in Ukraine, it’s amazing, it’s fabulous. It’s incredible to see local students — third graders and their parents — saying you know what, we can’t go over but here’s a way we can help. We have other people who have donated other items. We can bring two big suitcases and just pay to check them. We have people donating food and toys for pets,” Curtis said.

Donahue added, “I am speechless. It gives me hope for that anything is possible with families involved, teachers involved, the school district and community. The kids’ drawings were amazing. They feel this. I had no idea what to expect — this was amazing.”

Before students packed items into zip-lock bags, they listened to Curtis and Donahue about their decision to make the trip, as well as offered a few comments about the importance of helping those in need. 

“What does it mean to you to help others?” they were asked. Responses included:

“If you help someone else, it makes them feel better.”

“When I help someone, it makes me feel happy.”

“I feel good inside when I help somebody.”

Cushing said part of every geography lesson centers a country’s location, but also about its people.

“During our morning circle time, I asked them if they had heard anything about what is happening in Ukraine? They had. Parents had discussions with them already. I wasn’t sure how much I should delve into, but I got the sense that they were pretty aware that this involved a big bully and they are in trouble, losing their homes. Imagine if that were you, having to pack a suitcase and be gone within five hours. What do you take? People are left behind,” Cushing said. “It’s important to know geography, but also know what life is like for the people there. We had some really good discussions. They felt like they wanted to do something.”

Cushing impressed upon his students that their efforts — collecting items over a three to four-day span — will certainly be appreciated. “You are filling someone else’s heart with love with these precious gifts. You just did that here and it will be repeated when Sheila and Mary Brigid give these gifts to these families in Poland. They are going to be so touched by it,” he said.

Donahue agreed and told the kids, “It made me feel so grateful and so warm that you took on this massive project out of the blue, without knowing anyone who is suffering. It’s amazing the amount of giving you are doing now.”

Curtis and Donahue plan to return to Mr. Cushings’ class upon their return from Poland to share their stories. They also plan to speak to local groups, as well, giving personal insight on the fight and resiliency of the Ukrainian people.  

“I feel the Ukrainians are fighting really hard. Really, really hard. It’s important to me to support them against someone who is bullying them. It’s their country. Someone has come in and is bullying them. It’s important to stand up and do whatever you can to help a person or country that is being bullied. So, you are doing your part with this project. It’s what the Ukrainian people need,” Donahue told the class. “If an opportunity comes up that one of your notes or pictures are given to a Ukrainian child and I can take a photo, I will and send it to Mr. Cushing.”