In 2000-2001, Svitlana Klymenko traveled from Ukraine to Garretson and attended Garreton High School as a foreign exchange student. She was hosted by Steve and Kris Frerk, and well-liked by her classmates.
She recently evacuated from Ukraine with her young son in order to protect their lives, though her husband stayed behind to fight the Russian invasion.
To help her out financially, community member, friend, and former classmate Marissa Wollmann asked Garretson for donations via her Venmo account, @Marissa-Wollmann.
"They left on the evacuation train with a bag of food and two back packs and the hope they will reunite with her husband and her parents soon," Wollmann posted on Facebook.
Nancy Longhenry set up a fund at First Bank & Trust for further donations, asking that Svitlana's name be placed in the memo.
Klymenko told Dakota News Now that the support is helping her get through each day, and that any funds would also go towards friends to help them evacuate, as well as covering sleeping quarters and food.
