The Fryeburg Academy community gathered together March 17 outside of Shaffner Hall donning blue and yellow for a moment of silence for Ukraine. Mike Dana photo
On Blue and Yellow Day, the Fryeburg Academy community donned in blue and yellow gathered outside of Shaffner Hall on Thursday, March 17 for a moment of silence for Ukraine.
The event was organized by fellow Ukrainian students Anna Bondar, class of 2023, and Daryna Serediuk, class of 2022, and the International Club and faculty members Greg Huang-Dale and Judy Heininger, according to a news release from the academy.
Before the minute of silence, head of school Erin Mayo addressed the group. “Thank you all for the blue and yellow and for being here to be part of a visible show of support for Ukraine. Before the photo, we will hold a moment of silence. Those here who pray, I invite to pray. Those here who don’t, I invite to focus as best as any of us can on what Ukrainians are experiencing — their suffering and fear, but also their courage and spirit. In the silence of one minute, let us fill our thoughts with love for Anna, Daryna, and their families; love for our friend Andrii Obertas; compassion for all who’ve been lost and those who now mourn them; and fervent hopes for peace and freedom in Ukraine. As a community, we offer our kinship through these colors, and through this full minute.”
In addition to the Blue and Yellow Day, Bondar and Serediuk also organized a community fundraiser to raise funds for humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.
“We are not helpless,” said Bondar. “Ukrainians are proud and resilient. Every dollar and show of support helps us feel stronger.”
The academy’s community fundraiser for Ukraine, which is only three days into its launch, has already raised nearly $2,000 of the $3,000 goal the academy hoped to raise by April 7. “It’s amazing to see all the support from our teachers and fellow students,” said Serediuk. “We are passionate to do our part in helping our families and friends in Ukraine in any way we can.”
To support Ukraine, people can donate to one of the following humanitarian aid organizations: UNICEF Ukraine: unicef.org/ukraine/en; International Committee of the Red Cross: icrc.org/en; or RAZOM: razomforukraine.org.
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