Pin our hearts to Ukraine

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WILMINGTON — A local resident is using her craft to help Wilmington’s sister city in Ukraine.

Cathie Streator of Wilmington, who runs the Etsy shop Patchwork People Pins, is creating special Ukrainian flag pins with a heart in the center. The pins are to show support for the country’s people during the Russian invasion.

Streator, a retiree who worked at 4C for Children, began making pins in 2000.

Priced at $8, Streator will be directly donating $5 from each purchase to the people of Merefa — Wilmington’s sister city.

“I know no one in Ukraine, but the devastation of the unprovoked invasion is so heartbreaking,” she said. “I wanted to do anything to help in some way, and since I make pins for many different purposes, I decided to make one to show support of the Ukrainian people.”

However, she did not want to make money from this, so she worked with Save the Children, an organization she respects.

“I decided that I would just charge a minimal amount to help with the cost of the materials and donate $5 from each pin sold,” she said. “After donating $570 to Save The Children, I learned about the Merefa Ukrainian Fund to provide funds directly to our sister city, and changed the donations to Merefa.”

Former Wilmington Mayor Randy Riley established the sister city relationship with the city of Merefa nine years ago. In his column in Tuesday’s News Journal he noted that it is “home to slightly over 22,000 peace-loving people. Their mayor, Veniamin Sitov, welcomed us to their community and treated us like family.”

Riley also shared information about Streator’s work as well as other ways Clinton Countians can help Ukrainians.

The jewelry is made of metallic acrylic material. Each is cut and assembled in a three-step layering process.

“The design decision was easy,” said Streator. “One look at the yellow and blue stripes of their flag, and the thought of a little heart in the middle seemed perfect to demonstrate compassion and support.

“I also decided to make one of my regular people designs to illustrate a Ukraine girl holding a flag. Again I am donating $5 from each sale,” she added.

She has sold quite a few to people in the Wilmington area, mostly by word of mouth. And since she lives in Wilmington, she’s worked out a porch pickup for those who email or text me to get the pins locally. She has also sent them across the country due to her Etsy site.

“This has enabled me to be able to make financial contributions that I never would have been able to, and perhaps help in some small way the people of Ukraine,” she said.

To purchase the pins, visit patchworkpeoplepins.etsy.com or contact Cathie at [email protected] or by phone at 937-725-2981.

Cathie Streator’s custom-made pin showing support for Ukraine.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/03/web1_Screenshot-192-.jpgCathie Streator’s custom-made pin showing support for Ukraine. Courtesy photo

By John Hamilton

[email protected]

Reach John Hamilton at 937-382-2574

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