Ukrainian Kids Get a Vacation from War When a New Hampshire Community Adopts Them

The day of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, February 24, 2022, Lisa Mure was in New Hampshire, glued to her TV set. “I couldn’t stop watching the news,” she remembers. “My heart was aching, and I kept telling myself, ‘This can’t be happening!’” 

Driven by a need to act, she and her life partner, Alex Ray, and their friends Steve Rand and Susan Mathison sat together at a local café and decided together to make a difference. 

Ray is the owner of The Common Man family of restaurants in New Hampshire, and at this meeting he pledged to match donations for Ukraine with up to one million dollars. To Mure’s delight, this pledge generated additional support. In a matter of days, New Hampshire Governor John Lynch, WMUR-TV, iHeart Media, Granite United Way, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, and Rotary Clubs in both Plymouth, NH, and Warsaw, Poland, joined in the effort.

From these grassroots beginnings, Common Man for Ukraine transformed into a full-fledged nonprofit under the Plymouth Rotary Foundation. The organization now provides critical food supplies, humanitarian aid, and trauma counseling to Ukrainian orphans, displaced children, and war-affected families. They’ve raised nearly $4 million so far in support of these efforts.

Since then, Lisa Mure has traveled to Ukraine more than 10 times. The event that resonates most deeply with her is a three-week retreat that Common Man for Ukraine sponsors for Ukrainian children aged 8 to 12. 

Hosted in Poland, this program allows 35 children at a time to step away from the blaring sirens and constant anxiety of living in a war zone. It’s a sanctuary for children grieving the loss of fathers, brothers, and others who were dear to them.

Mure particularly remembers young Bogdan and little Katerina. “Their stories are like so many others,” she recalls. "The stories tend to begin with a soldier at the door, delivering the news of a loved one’s death.”

In Bogdan’s case, this 12-year-old boy learned from a soldier who came to his home that both his father and brother were dead. Bogdan formed a friendship with little Katerina, who is close to him in age. Her story, according to Mure, is that “When the soldiers came to our house, they told us that Father was gone, but there was no body.” 

Katerina is torn between grief and the hope that maybe her father is still alive. She’s enduring an agonizing limbo. She and Bogdan support each other while they’re in the retreat in Poland.

For children like Bogdan and Katerina, this retreat is a rare chance to be away from the chaos of war. The two find comfort in the company of others who understand what they’re enduring, they benefit from the simple pleasures of shared meals, nature walks, and art therapy. For some, it’s the first time they’ve slept without fear. Most of all, it’s a chance to grieve, connect, and begin to rebuild. 

In New Hampshire, the state motto “Live free or die”  is more than words; it’s a call to action. Granite Staters, from community members to civic leaders, are standing up for children who are enduring the unthinkable. With every dollar raised, every retreat organized, and every gesture of kindness extended, they’re showing that the spirit of freedom knows no borders. In fighting for a future of peace and possibility for Ukrainian kids, the supporters of Common Man for Ukraine are living New Hampshire’s commitment to freedom and resilience.

"Please come learn more about us,” Mure invites. “Our website is: https://commonmanforukraine.org/”'