Thoroughbred owner and former Ambassador to Finland Earle Mack, in conjunction with former New York governor George Pataki, have launched Operation Heat Ukraine, a nonprofit dedicated to “helping those suffering due to ongoing Russian attacks on critical infrastructure,” the organization announced Tuesday.
When Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska visited New York, former Gov. George Pataki asked what her country needed most. Her answer was, “heaters, heaters, heaters.”
As a result, Governor Pataki and Ambassador Earle Mack delivered heaters to Ukraine for 200,000 people on Jan. 12. Each heater can run for 31 hours and heat a 20,000-cubic-foot area—about the size of a hotel ballroom—on a single load of diesel fuel. They delivered the first load to Viktor Mykyta, governor of the western Ukrainian region of Zakarpattia, much of which is without power and lights for eight to 12 hours a day, according to OHU. On its most recent mission, Operation Heat Ukraine donated and delivered more than 350 heaters which will be used for invincibility centers at the request of the Zelensky government and will provide heat for thousands of Ukrainians.
“To save just one life with these heaters makes our mission worth it,” said Mack. “We have come here, boots on the ground, to ensure the delivery of these heaters to the people of Ukraine,” said Mack. “Despite billions of dollars in aid to support military efforts, there is still significant humanitarian work that needs to be done. Through our efforts, we hope to bring awareness to the horrors of this war, particularly among civilians, and to drive additional resources to support them. The importance of much needed humanitarian aid for the survival of the Ukrainian people cannot be overstated. Forming a network of individuals, foundations, and corporations, as we have done with Operation Heat Ukraine, will hopefully raise awareness and encourage others to support the Ukrainians with resources for critical daily needs.”
To learn more, visit www.heatukraine.org. To donate to the effort, click here.
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