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Chicago, MAK Chicago, ODUM, postcard warrior, USA

After WWII, ODUM was established in Canada and the United States by people from Eastern Ukraine who wanted to raise their children in the same values and traditions as they had back in Ukraine.

Each year, ODUM youth (children and young adults) gather to celebrate their Ukrainian heritage, as well as to network with other Ukrainian youth from all over North America. That’s where we met Fedia Kourbatov, at our booth in September at ODUM Zustrich in Clarington, Ontario.

After writing a few postcards for Defenders, Fedia told us about MAK Chicago, a shop that his mother, Orysia Kourbatov, was opening in October.

Fedia has strong ideals about his role, as a Ukrainian American, to “uplift my Ukrainian culture constantly. I felt the initiative [Postcards to the Front] did this; that it is an easy way for others to contribute to the war effort.” He instantly recognized that the simplicity of writing messages of support to Ukraine’s Defenders would easily be something he could encourage others to do.

As his mother, Orysia, was about to open her MAK Chicago shop, he decided that it would be a good idea to dedicate a table in the store to postcard-writing for Ukraine’s Defenders. In this way, he “hoped a lot of Ukrainians and local Americans would write letters to the heroes on the front lines.” And, he added, our translation guide “set us up for success”. Although, he and his mom have “tweaked it a little to make it even easier to use for non-Ukrainians.”

Fedia found that the best way to inspire others to write to Ukraine’s Defenders was to remind them “that a big component to victory is keeping up morale. These postcard messages do exactly that and show to the soldiers that people all over the world are supporting them and thinking about them.”

So, at MAK Chicago Shop, where over 50 Ukrainian creators are featured, Orysia and Fedia not only show Americans how talented Ukrainians are, creating income streams and exposure for Ukrainian artists, they also educate visitors about Ukraine as well as encourage visitors to write messages of support to Ukraine’s Defenders.

Fedia shared that he is, therefore, “very grateful because I met Helen who introduced me to this amazing project” so he, and others, can make a difference in the lives of Ukrainians.

Of course, we, at Postcards to the Front, are grateful for Fedia’s initiative and support, introducing the project in Chicago and encouraging American visitors to MAK Chicago Shop to write messages to Ukraine’s Defenders.

Ultimately, Fedia hopes that his efforts, and the postcards written by shop visitors “give Defenders hope and a feeling that people are looking over them because they are constantly in our thoughts and prayers … that the support from other nations is real. Something about holding a physical card and seeing [that] it came from across the world brings that support from the whole world to life.”

As we near the third anniversary since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, it is clear to Fedia that postcard messages of support make a difference, and, he shared, “we are excited to be a part of this initiative and to keep growing together!”

Thank you, Orysia and Fedia, for your contributions to support Ukrainian culture and for your efforts the encourage others to help boost morale at the front lines!