Cornelia Schneider: Impact of recent Common Man for Ukraine presentation

To The Daily Sun,

A recent presentation by representatives from Common Man for Ukraine in Moultonborough left a profound mark on me. Alex Ray, the founder of Common Man restaurants, was there, but the program's powerful core was delivered by Susan Mathison and Lisa Mure. Their stories of the suffering of Ukrainian children were absolutely devastating.

Later that evening, while viewing a PBS special on the American Revolution, the words of Abigail Adams to her husband, John Adams, resonated in my mind: “Remember the ladies,” she urged him. The work of Susan and Lisa immediately sprang to mind.

Right now, many New Hampshire women are working tirelessly behind the scenes. In towns like Laconia, Holderness, and Moultonborough they are mobilizing: hosting presentations, furiously quilting works of art for fundraising raffles, and knitting precious hats or dolls for Ukrainian children. And it’s not just "the ladies"; students at Holderness School are even raising money through a student-run coffee cart.

The dire need for their efforts is heartbreakingly clear. Susan shared the story of an 8-year-old girl from the front lines who has lived in desperation since the war started four years ago. When given a doll handmade by "the ladies" of Laconia, the little girl could not read the Ukrainian message of love affixed to it. She was 4 when the war started and has lived half her life without reliable schooling. Children surviving the war are losing their childhoods.

Ruthless men like Vladimir Putin started this war. Now, perhaps, it is up to "the ladies," and all who stand with them, to remember and support those caught in the crossfire. If readers would like to support the struggling women and children of Ukraine, they can’t do better than support Common Man for Ukraine. We should all feel incredibly proud of the work this NH nonprofit is doing.

Cornelia Schneider

Moultonborough