BROWN COUNTY (NBC 26) — Gathered in a sea of blue and yellow, people from across Northeast Wisconsin took to the streets of Brown County Sunday afternoon in solidarity with Ukraine.
"There’s a lot of people who want to know. They want to hear the Ukraine voices. They need to hear your voice. They need to hear your family's voice,” said Jonathan Pylypiv, who was born in Ukraine.
People waived flags and held up signs during a rally Sunday at the Brown County Veterans Memorial right outside the Resch Center.
Little ones held up signs up that read "Stop Putin" or "Stop the war in Ukraine”.
"I feel like it's my fourth day of nightmare that I try to wake up and I can’t,” said Oksana Kobzar-Schweiner, who lives in Green Bay.
Kobzar-Schweiner was born and raised in Ukraine. She said all her family is overseas and she can't help but constantly worry.
"I send text message and I wait for their responses to see if they respond. If it's silent, fear comes. Are they safe or are they alive there?” Kobzar-Schweiner said.
Other local Ukrainians describe what their families are witnessing.
"I have family there. There's rockets that were shot all over Ukraine, including in western part by Liviv not that far from Poland,” Pylypiv said.
"My sister, she’s in a 15 mile line right now at the Polish border. She’s sitting waiting there for eight hours. They move like one mile per hour. It’s a humanitarian crisis,” said Valentyn Tereshchenko, who also lives in the Green Bay Area but was born and raised in Ukraine. "Their town has the Russians blocking on the outside of town. They can hear and can see the flames. They can see things coming through. Jets flying over pass. It’s full blown war.”
Many local Ukrainians said now is the time to speak up and come together, as they believe more action is still needed from our nation leaders.
"I don't think sanctions is not enough. Sanctions is a long term deal. Ukraine needs help with arms and ammunition. Russia needs to be isolated from the word financially and economically,” Tereschchenko said.
In the meantime, Ukrainians here in Wisconsin are praying for the world to hear them and their family’s plea to help them save their homeland and loved ones.
"We are praying in this community asking our senators and congress people. I think that gives us the strength and hope that they're not alone there,” Kobzar- Schweiner said.
Local Ukrainians plan to have a vigil at 6 p.m. Wednesday at St. Matthew Orthodox Church, 607 Ravenswood Dr, Green Bay, WI 54302.
Organizers said everyone in the community is welcome to attend.
Click here for more information.
The City of Green Bay is also standing in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and lighting up the bridge lights blue and yellow through March 1.
Below are a few photos of how the bridges look lit up:
