Local News
Two Americans meet on a plane to Poland then join forces to help Ukrainian refugees
“What we have here is a humanitarian crisis unlike we’ve seen in a while,” volunteer Zohar Swaine said in a telephone interview Thursday afternoon, March 24. The New York City-born former United States Marine said he, along with many others, felt a sense of duty that compelled him to pack a suitcase and head to Poland on his own dime to help refugees pouring into Poland from war-torn Ukraine.
Luggage purchased for refugees passing through Krakow.
Swaine, a business consultant from New Jersey, said goodbye to his wife and two teens about 10 days ago, before flying to Krakow, Poland to see what he could offer in assistance to refugees fleeing Ukraine. Fortuitously, he met fellow American Stan Brooks, a former Front Royal mayor and town councilman, now of Charlottesville, Virginia, on a flight from Munich to Krakow. Both were headed to Poland to help, though neither was affiliated with a rescue group or organization.
Upon arrival, Swaine made his way to the border and Sauveteurs Sans Frontières, SSF (“Rescuers Without Borders” from French to English), a French/Israeli organization that provides humanitarian aid across the globe. As a former U.S. Marine who had deployed during the Gulf War, he knew he had some skills that would help with the refugee relocation effort.
Brooks wasn’t sure how he could best help, but after three days of not finding a role in the effort, he felt fundraising was the best way to help those in need. By simply asking for help, the pledges of support came rolling in from friends. Before a week had passed, Brooks had collected around $11,000. Brooks said, one Winchester physician and his wife donated $1,000 and offered to house a Ukrainian family when refugees begin entering the U.S.
Those funds were used to directly help refugees who entered Poland. Some of those with dire needs, typically the elderly and mothers with young children, received $100 dollars in hand. Swaine said many of the refugees were dressed in threadbare coats and carried their belongings in plastic bags.
Swaine (center, back row) with fellow volunteers and a Ukrainian lady who was passing through the Przemysl Refugee Center.
Others benefitted from one of the 300 rolling bags purchased with donated funds. Several hundred dollars were used to purchase plywood, to put down on dirt floors prior to expected rain. Swaine purchased 100 raincoats, anticipating a weekend rain. Other items bought with donated money include air mattresses, blankets, and children’s supplies; $1,200 was spent on medical supplies, additional money went to replenish the food pantry. A special donation of $1,000 was gifted to an elderly Ukrainian couple who are awaiting a visa appointment to obtain entry into the U.S.
Swaine has spent most of his time near Medyka, Poland, an area near the border with Ukraine. It’s a sleepy little town that, in recent weeks, has seen roughly 1.5 million refugees pass through its gates. Swaine, armed with a wheelchair and another volunteer with a shopping cart full of items such as water bottles, juice boxes, chocolate for the children, mylar rescue blankets, and first-aid supplies have sought out the most vulnerable Ukrainians to help.
Zohar Swaine with a married Ukrainian couple, both 74, who are awaiting a visa appointment for entry into the U.S. /Photos by Zohar Swaine
As noted above, the elderly and mothers with small children were those needing the most help, Swaine said. It’s 49 miles between Lviv, Ukraine, and Medyka across the Polish border. Some refugees were able to get bus rides to the border; others walked.
“We would generally look for the very elderly – folks who maybe needed to be in a wheelchair – who may have just gotten off a bus or somehow made the day’s walk from the city of Lviv to the border crossing. Especially when we were coming into the late afternoon, we could assist by bringing those highly vulnerable people across the border by skipping to the head of the line. It’s 30-degrees outside, and some needed to be in a better place quickly,” Swaine explained.
The Medyka Crossing Area
After crossing the border, the refugees arrive at the Medyka Crossing area. The first stop is at a heated tent that has cots, hot meals, electricity, phone charging stations, a breastfeeding station for mothers, a play area for children. The tents are guarded to ensure that the refugees are safe from predators, including human traffickers.
Refugees were able to stay as long as needed, from a few hours to a few days. Many of the refugees had arranged to meet up with friends or relatives, then travel to another location.
Swaine said that while volunteering, he wore many hats, serving as, “a hotel manager, a procurer of supplies, kindergarten teacher, and even a janitor,” – and that was fine with him. “If you are looking for glory, you will not find it as a volunteer,” he observed.
Crossing the border can be a time-consuming process, Swaine noted. Though officials spend about a minute, on average, processing each refugee, there were only three lines to service the 50 to 700 people waiting, depending on the time of day.
Swaine observed that the refugees are generally still “shell-shocked” and seem, at times, to be overwhelmed. But their demeanor changes almost immediately upon entering Poland, he said.
After crossing the border and traveling a few hundred yards to the gate outside the rescue center, there is a flurry of activity: “a man in a costume who wants to hug you, candy for the kids, there is a tray of hot tea, pizza being offered,” Swaine explained. As time passes, he says the ratio of volunteers is shifting. As more volunteers show up and the numbers of refugees drop, there sometimes seem to be more volunteers than those needing help.
Volunteers dressed as Santa and Wonder Woman are on hand to hug Ukrainian children as they enter Poland.
The refugees seem weary, he said, after having made a perilous journey that sometimes lasted weeks.
In the space of 200 yards, there are probably 50-60 additional tents along the corridor, and each has its own specialty. There is a tent for pets that includes food and supplies; a tent designed for mothers and young children, with diapers and baby food; there were several World Central Kitchen tents with food; other tents with free sim cards and minutes for cell phones.
After traveling through the corridor refugees are led to an area where buses sit, ready to take them to a former shopping mall converted to a help center, or to a train station in Przemysl, about 30 miles away for travel across Europe if they have destinations through relatives, friends, or other contacts. In that facility, owned by the British company Tesco PLC, areas of the mall have been converted into a shelter, with cots, a large kitchen serving meals, medical treatment, and other services that might be needed. There are also volunteers who help refugees without a plan to figure out their next steps.
Restocking the food pantry with items purchased with donated funds.
Swaine shared that the Polish citizens have been gracious throughout the influx of over a million refugees, working selflessly to improve the lives of those who have lost so much. Though planning to head home to New Jersey in a few days, he said he would return to Poland because the actions of Poland’s citizens have endeared the country to him.
Brooks, who has since left Poland, wrote in an email that “It was somewhat fateful that Zohar and I met on the plane from Munich to Krakow. We were two people who felt that they had to do something.” Brooks had high praise for his new friend Zodar Swaine, saying, “He did all the heavy lifting. I was nothing more than a fundraiser. But I am glad that I could do something. Like it or not, this war is about more than Ukraine,” Brooks observed of a growing international consensus, adding, “It is about democracy and the freedoms that it allows and about reality over fake reality – the reality created by sociopaths like Putin, using the latest in technology to brainwash an entire nation. Something that in America we are not immune to.”
What’s next?
Has Russia’s leader – who has cemented unchallengeable authoritarian rule over the past 20 years through “black ops” * methodologies learned as a KGB agent and chief – bitten off more than he, or perhaps his nation, can swallow this time?
Perhaps.
For there appears to be a rising tide of opposition expressed by Russians, even at home who are now under threat of arrest for simply publicly appearing at an anti-war rally, or even calling Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a “war”. Even Russia’s oligarchs, the rich corporate and industrialist insiders handed the wealth owned by the Soviet State until the early 1990s collapse of the Soviet Union, are believed to be expressing some discontent as international sanctions, not to mention the specter of an expanded international war front, damage their wealth and security.
But a push toward historic regime change in Russia will rely on continued and escalating international cooperation — the kind of cooperation Zohar Swaine and Stan Brooks experienced on the volunteer front lines in Poland. Though rather than individual commitments born of conscience, it must be the conscience of nations at work in support of national sovereignty and independence from neighboring expansionist, totalitarian dictators.
Is the world up to it?
Are Russia’s institutional elites up to it?
Stay tuned.
* FOOTNOTE – “black ops” methodologies: Lies about opponents, domestic or foreign; the imprisonment of those domestic political, media, or cultural sources who would challenge him, not to mention their murder, even on foreign soil.
(Roger Bianchini contributed to this story)
Local News
West Virginia roadwork may produce Interstate 81 Northbound delays in Virginia
Roadwork on northbound Interstate 81 in West Virginia at the Virginia state line will potentially cause traffic delays in Virginia.
Motorists should be alert for delays on I-81 northbound in Frederick County, VA., during two periods of pavement repair work in West Virginia. The first period is for preparation work, and the second is for pavement work.
The first work period is 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. on Wednesday, August 17. Significant traffic delays are not anticipated during this time.
The second work period begins on August 17 around 6 p.m., extending into Thursday, August 18, possibly into the midday hours. Significant traffic delays may occur throughout this period.
In Virginia, traffic accessing I-81 northbound at Exit 323 off of Route 669 (Rest Church Road) will be stopped at the end of the on-ramp before entering I-81. This will accommodate anticipated slow or stopped traffic on I-81 at this location.
The Virginia Department of Transportation will monitor traffic back-ups. If back-ups become significant and sustained, the following alternate routes will be recommended.
- Interstate 66 or Route 7 to Route 340 northbound through Warren and Clarke counties
- I-81 exit 310 to Route 37 (Winchester bypass) to Route 522 northbound in Frederick County.
Variable message boards along the northbound I-81 and westbound I-66 corridors will alert drivers of traffic delays and alternate routes as needed.
Additional roadwork on northbound I-81 in West Virginia is anticipated to occur in the coming weeks, with potential traffic delays into Virginia.
Traffic alerts and traveler information can be obtained by dialing 511. Traffic alerts and traveler information also are available at http://www.511Virginia.org.
The VDOT Customer Service Center can assist with reporting road hazards, asking transportation questions, or getting information related to Virginia’s roads. Call 800-FOR- ROAD (800-367-7623) or use its mobile-friendly website at https://my.vdot.virginia.gov/. Agents are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Staunton District Twitter feed is at @VaDOTStaunton. VDOT can be followed on Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, and YouTube. RSS feeds are also available for statewide information. The VDOT Web page is located at http://www.VirginiaDOT.org.
The VDOT Staunton District serves Frederick, Shenandoah, Clarke, Warren, Page, Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, Rockbridge, Alleghany, and Bath counties.
Local News
17th Annual Route 11 Yard Crawl will bring thousands to the area
Bargain hunters can break out the fanny packs Saturday morning as the 17th Annual Route 11 Yard Crawl begins at 7 AM. The event is always held on the second Saturday in August and covers over 43 miles of yard sales and business sales along the Old Valley Pike, U.S. Route 11. According to the event’s website, the official crawl is from New Market (I-81 Exit 264) to Stephens City (I-81 Exit 307).
The Route 11 Yard Crawl has become a huge draw for bargain hunters and a source of revenue for residents, businesses and nonprofit organizations participating in the well-attended event. Localities see revenue added to their coffers through lodging, meals, and sales taxes.
Following a break during the Covid pandemic, the Yard Crawl Scavenger Hunt returns this year, with an app, the Free Traipse App. By visiting 15 of the 43 businesses, participants can get an official Yard Crawl t-shirt and be entered into a drawing for a $100 gas card. Download the free app here.
Sarah Paul, a Middletown resident whose home is along the Rt. 11, has had yard sales in the past, but won’t this year. She said, “We’ve sold things every couple of years, but for me, the best part is rocking on the porch and people-watching!”
Mrs. Paul’s daughter, Elise, could not contain her enthusiasm, saying, “Yard Crawl? Fun! Money!” Elise’s sister, Abigail chimed in, “It’s great because you can get rid of the stuff in your house you need and make a profit!”
Elise Paul, 10, checking out the bargains at a previous Crawl.
Tina Maddox, of Strasburg, says, “My husband and I have been going to the yard crawl every year since it started. We’ve weathered the blazing hot weather to gully washers and everything in between. We’ve come home with truckloads and there was a time we had to come home, unload and go out again.
My favorite story is from several years ago when we stopped at a house where two gentlemen were swinging on their front porch swing. My husband went up and sat down right in between them and asked them how they were doing. After they got over being dumbfounded, they chatted briefly before we left. Every year after that, we would go there and do the same thing. We all looked forward to it each year. Recently my husband met up with one of those men in a job in a surrounding area. Small world!”
Alex Shaw, a Stephens City native who now lives in Durham County, NC relayed, “Last year’s Yard Crawl was my first one back in almost 10 years. It was so much busier and so much more overpriced junk than I remembered from my earlier years going.
I used to love going so much, and found many wonderful treasures in the past, but I most likely won’t make the trip this year.”
A number of local businesses will have special discounts and sales during the event. Those offering “Crawl Specials” will display gold mylar balloons outside their business. Shoppers can expect specials such as half-price or ‘buy one get one” (BOGO) items, sidewalk sales, freebies, event-related items, drawing for prizes, and more.
Teresa Lamb, with Front Royal business Strites Doughnuts, says she will be selling her tasty wares on Rt. 11 at Dixie Glass and Mirror beginning at 7 AM.
The official Yard Crawl t-shirts are collectible, with each year featuring a different color. This year’s 17th Crawl t-shirt is a royal blue heather and costs $15 and $20, depending on size. They can be purchased at these locations:
- Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation in Middletown
- Edinburg Mill Museum in Edinburg
- Main Street Classics in Stephens City
- Route 11 Potato Chips in Mt Jackson
- The Flea Market in Edinburg
- The Strasburg Emporium in Strasburg
- Shenandoah County Chamber of in Woodstock
- Shenandoah Valley Flea Market in New Market
- Travelers Treasures in Woodstock
The Route 11 Yard Crawl is a collaborative effort between Shenandoah County Tourism, the County Chamber, and the Towns of Strasburg, Woodstock, Edinburg, Mount Jackson, New Market, Middletown, and Stephens City.
For more information on the Crawl, inquire about vendor spaces available, or participating businesses, visit www.Route11YardCrawl.org or call 540-459-2542.
Local News
Senator Tim Kaine visits George Banks Blvd
On August 11, 2022, Senator Tim Kaine visited George Banks Blvd and met in the front yard of Cornelia Banks, along with her family, and friends.
On Saturday, June 25th, friends, neighbors, and town officials gathered to officially open George Banks Boulevard on the Town of Front Royal’s north side from East 13th to 16th Street near Edgemont and Scranton Avenues.
Community Events
Belle Grove to host Jerome Bias as an artist-in-residence
Belle Grove Plantation will host North Carolina furniture maker, Jerome Bias, as an artist-in-residence August 27-October 2.
Mr. Bias has been making period furnishings and studying southern decorative arts for more than 20 years. He was a joiner for Old Salem Museums and Gardens in Winston-Salem and has been a presenter at Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library, and with the Slave Dwelling Project.
His interest in working at Belle Grove, and at other sites of enslavement like it, is to bring attention to the skilled and talented craftspersons who had significant roles in shaping Southern decorative traditions. These furniture pieces represent the local areas in which they were made, and became a way for the makers, though enslaved, to survive and thrive. Learning and demonstrating these furniture making techniques and skills has been a way for Mr. Bias to connect with his enslaved ancestors, get a glimpse at the pain, trauma, and joys that they experienced, and begin a process of healing. His current project is reproducing pieces of furniture from six areas of the United States in which his family was enslaved, including a buffet from South Carolina, and a china press from Louisville, Kentucky.
Jerome Bias Woodworking (photos by Sean Rowe / Courtesy of Belle Grove)
While at Belle Grove, Mr. Bias will have both indoor and outdoor workshop spaces where visitors can learn about the pieces he is making, their history, and the history of the craftspersons who inspire him. He will be demonstrating during Belle Grove’s Wine Festival on Saturday, August 27, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Thereafter, he will be doing demonstrations Wednesday-Sundays when Belle Grove is open (10 a.m.-4 p.m. and 1-5 p.m. Sundays). For a specific schedule, please visit bellegrove.org/calendar/artist. Access to these demonstrations will be free of charge.
Another way Mr. Bias has connected with experiences of his ancestors is learning about the foodways of enslaved communities. He will share his experience and talents with hearth cooking during a free program by the Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Park Ranger Shannon Moeck, “Kneading in Silence: A Glimpse into the Life of the Enslaved Cook Judah.” It is Sunday, September 4, at 2:30 p.m. in the historic kitchen of the Belle Grove Manor House. Attendees of the program will see first-hand the wide variety of skills, intense labor, and personality characteristics that Judah had to have in order to be the head cook.
Jerome Bias Cooking
Support for Mr. Bias’s residency has been provided through the Interpretation and Education Grants of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
“Belle Grove is delighted to host Mr. Bias for this residency, and we are excited to share his craft and insights on African-American history with our guests, ” said Executive Director Kristen Laise.
Belle Grove is actively researching and interpreting the African American history of the site and honoring the lives of those enslaved and free. More information may be found at
bellegrove.org/about/enslaved. Some of the stories of the people enslaved at Belle Grove are featured in a monthly newsletter found at virtual.bellegrove.org.
About Belle Grove—Belle Grove Plantation is located off Route 11 at 336 Belle Grove Road just south of Middletown, Virginia, and is conveniently situated to I-81 (exit 302) and I-66. Belle Grove Plantation is a non-profit historic house museum that is a National Trust for Historic Preservation historic site (www.savingplaces.org). It is also one of the legislated partners in Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park (www.nps.gov/cebe).
Local News
Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Patient of the Week: Virginia Opossum
Photos / Blue Ridge Wildlife Center
Do you know what a baby opossum is called?
Baby opossums are called joeys!
This litter of orphaned joeys came to the Center as tiny, eyes-closed babies after their mom was hit by a vehicle.
Joeys take a lot of work to raise, requiring 5-6 feedings per day, constant cleanings, and lots of enrichment. But everyone in this group is now fully weaned and eating on their own, and they will be moved out to larger, pre-release enclosures soon!
Adult female Virginia Opossums traditionally have litters of babies beginning in February and another in late spring. Each litter can produce as many as 13 babies (though we typically see closer to 5 or 6).
Most of the joeys we admit come to us on hit-by-car moms. Please make sure to watch your speed and pay attention while driving. Do not expect wildlife to simply get out of your way. Though many are hit at night, nocturnal mothers are also foraging during the day to support their large families!
If you see a hit opossum on the roadside or accidentally hit one, and are in a SAFE area to pull over, please check to see if they are alive or if you see any movement in the pouch. Look around for slightly older joeys that may be walking near the body. If the mother is alive or if there are living babies, please call a licensed rehabilitator right away. We are available 9-5pm, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to help!
Looking for an easy way to help native wildlife? Become a monthly BRWC donor! For as little as $5/month, you can provide year-round, sustainable support that helps us fulfill our mission.
Local News
VDOT: Warren County Traffic alert for August 8 – 12, 2022
The following is a list of highway work that may affect traffic in Warren County during the coming weeks. Scheduled work is subject to change due to inclement weather and material supplies. Motorists are advised to watch for slow-moving tractors during mowing operations. When traveling through a work zone, be alert to periodic changes in traffic patterns and lane closures.
*NEW* or *UPDATE* indicates a new or revised entry since last week’s report.
INTERSTATE 66
Mile marker 0 to 15, eastbound and westbound – Right shoulder closures for utility work from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Saturday (August 13).
Mile marker 8 to 7, westbound – Right lane closures for utility work, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Saturday (August 13).
INTERSTATE 81
Mile marker 299 to 300, northbound and southbound – Right shoulder closures for utility work, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Saturday (August 13).
PRIMARY ROADS
Route 55 (Strasburg Road) – Shoulder closures for utility work in the area of Route 664 (Whipporwill Road), 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. through August 19.
SECONDARY ROADS
No lane closures were reported.
Vegetation management may take place district-wide on various routes. Motorists are reminded to use extreme caution when traveling through work zones.
Traffic alerts and traveler information can be obtained by dialing 511. Traffic alerts and traveler information also are available at www.511Virginia.org.
The VDOT Customer Service Center can assist with reporting road hazards, asking transportation questions, or getting information related to Virginia’s roads. Call 800-FOR- ROAD (800-367-7623) or use its mobile-friendly website at my.vdot.virginia.gov. Agents are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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