PINE PLAINS — Motivated by an inspirational mix of food, music, speeches and generosity, area residents seemed more than happy to attend the Ukraine Emergency Fundraiser in support of Sunflower of Peace at The Stissing Center in Pine Plains on Sunday, June 5.
Organized by Stanfordville residents Mark Lagus and his wife Leevi, 100% of the funds raised through ticket sales and online donations went toward Sunflower of Peace, a nonprofit committed to helping Ukrainians affected by the Russian military invasion.
As his parents fled from the advancing Russian army in World War II, Lagus, a first-generation American-Estonian, said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 significantly shook him.
Leevi added, “In this day and age, for the tanks to be rolling across Europe was unfathomable to us.”
After spending the first night in shock, the couple immediately thought about what they could do to help. By early March, they became involved in community events to support Ukraine and encouraged their neighbors in Bangall to write to their congressmen.
Taking action
Inspired by local fundraisers organized by Millerton residents André Wlodar and his wife Kim, Lagus and Leevi gathered a group of friends and neighbors to start a fundraiser.
“It’s just that I worry people will get tired of the story and all the people deported and killed will become just numbers,” Leevi said. “We are trying to keep it alive, the interest and attention, even though the war seems so far away from America.”
They were able to get in contact with David Byrne, the Scottish lead singer and guitarist of the iconic American ‘80s rock band Talking Heads. Byrne was quick to get on board with the fundraiser.
“David has connections with people in the area, became aware of the event and graciously agreed to be part of it,” said Mark.
The couple reached out to the local chapter of the Ukrainian National Women’s League, who connected them to the Ukrainian folk band, Korinya.
The main event
The 5th was a lovely summer day for the fundraiser, which began with an opening reception at 1 p.m. Guests mingled over national Ukrainian dishes, drinks and a rolling slide show on stage.
A two-part live auction listed a number of local items, including dinner for four at Champetre in Pine Plains, a membership to Troutbeck and VIP tickets to see Bernie Williams & Band at the Millbrook Winery.
Stepping on stage at 2 p.m., Lagus welcomed everyone and had them rise for a heart-stirring performance of the Ukrainian National Anthem.
Leevi then reminded everyone ready to enjoy the entertainment, “We cannot dismiss and never forget why we are having this event. The free world cannot sit back and decide the war is too far or too complicated. It seems too common that the world finds it easier to get along with evil than to work against it.”
Words of thanks
Thanking the Laguses for their help and everyone for paying attention to the news, Sunflower of Peace Treasurer Olga Yasinnik said she initially anticipated 2022 as the year she’d see her family in person again after the COVID pandemic. Even after learning of the war, she remained hopeful it would resolve peacefully.
Once the shock that her homeland was a war zone wore off, Yasinnik said she became determined to help the Ukrainian people and became involved with Sunflower of Peace.
“Three months into the war, we were able to raise more than $7.5 million,” Yasinnik said, commending the nonprofit for being “a bridge for donors and volunteers eager to help send a message to the Ukrainian people that they are not alone.”
Tuning in via Zoom, Estonian politician and keynote speaker Eerik Niiles Kross said he was honored to say a few words about Sunflower of Peace.
In light of how often Russia has tried to invade Estonia over the years, Kross spoke of Estonia’s efforts to help Ukraine. He commended the Ukrainian people’s heroic efforts to fight for their freedom and spoke of how people have been drawn to their TVs and Twitter feeds, triggering a movement to support Ukraine.
“What Ukrainians need most right now is to feel that the world is with them,” Kross said. “They need to know we will not tire, we will not ask for concessions… Yes, they need peace, but they can’t have peace before they win, so what they need is for us to help them win.”
During the intermezzo, the floor opened to bids for the live auction. Korinya then took up its instruments and the band rendered its audience wonder struck as it performed an uplifting tune.
Though the language was foreign, the lyrics were captivating. The music celebrating Ukrainian traditions through song.
After the second intermezzo, which featured a special Stissing Center prize, Lagus welcomed Byrne to the stage.
The famous musician with the distinctive voice and musical style performed original pieces and songs by fellow artists and shared moments of light of laughter. As he exited the stage, the audience gave a wild standing ovation that continued until Byrne returned for one last song.
Before parting for the day, the Laguses stepped onto the stage to give thanks to their team, Sunflower of Peace and everyone from the restaurateurs and entertainers to their guests for their contributions.
“Lives will be changed by what we’ve done today,” Leevi said, before Korinya returned to the stage sing the Ukrainian song, “Oh, the Red Viburnum in the Meadow.”
Known as lead singer and guitarist for the iconic band Talking Heads, David Byrne performed original music, familiar tunes, country hits and other songs at the Ukraine Emergency Fundraiser. Photo by Kaitlin Lyle
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Growing up in the Bronx, Hearn was captivated whenever she saw horses. Her grandfather, a Korean War veteran, had cared for military horses during the war. After returning home, he struggled with addiction, and the invisible wounds of military service. Through every difficult chapter of his life, however, one thing consistently brought him peace.
“Horses bring peace,” he told his granddaughter.
When Hearn was 11, after years apart, Hearn and her grandfather began spending weekends riding together. Less than a year later, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Before he died, he asked family members to help buy Hearn’s first horse — a stubborn paint horse that bit, kicked and frequently threw her off. She wanted to sell him. Her father refused.
“Every life has value,” he told her.
Looking back, Hearn says that lesson became the foundation of everything she would later build.
What began as a boarding stable in 2003 took a different direction after the Dutchess County SPCA asked Hearn to care for horses seized in cruelty cases. She soon realized that although Dutchess County had one of New York’s largest horse populations, there was no dedicated nonprofit equipped to care for neglected and abused horses. Lucky Orphans officially became a nonprofit in 2008.
Some of the more than 40 horses at Lucky OrphansProvided
Today, Hearn is quick to point out that Lucky Orphans is not simply a rescue.
“We’re a sanctuary,” she said.
Many of the more than 40 horses living there arrive with broken bones, chronic illnesses, heart conditions, missing eyes or other injuries that make them unsuitable for riding or adoption. Rather than rehabilitating and rehoming them, Lucky Orphans makes a lifetime commitment to every horse.
In 2013, Hearn became certified in equine-assisted psychotherapy, combining her lifelong relationship with horses and the lessons she learned from her grandfather to create programs for veterans, trauma survivors, children and families facing emotional challenges. The transformations she witnesses continue to surprise her. She recalls one woman who arrived convinced she would not fit in with a group of strangers. During the session, a horse quietly chose to follow her without a rope or commands. For the first time in years, the woman said she felt truly seen.
Another memory has stayed with Hearn ever since. A teenager in a juvenile probation program, wearing an ankle monitor and struggling with anger, entered a round pen with a horse. As his frustration grew, the horse moved farther away. When he finally calmed himself, the horse walked directly toward him and rested its head against his chest.
“I told him, ‘If you can control your energy, you can control the world around you,’” Hearn said.
Stories like these sustain her through the difficult realities of running a nonprofit. Operating the sanctuary costs roughly $52,000 each month, and Hearn lives on the property, where the work never truly ends. Veterinary bills, staffing, fundraising and the daily care of dozens of horses are constant concerns. Then someone returns years later and tells her that the horses changed their child’s life.
“That’s why I keep going,” she said.
Looking ahead, Hearn hopes more people discover what makes Lucky Orphans unique. The organization is expanding its community programming with educational visits, yoga sessions, horse encounters, volunteer opportunities and family events designed to reconnect people with horses and with one another.
Her vision is simple: to create a place where people slow down, reconnect and remember something modern life often makes us forget. If horses could speak, Hearn believes they would offer just one piece of advice.
“They’d tell us to slow down,” she said.
After spending an afternoon at Lucky Orphans, it’s hard to disagree.
For more information or to plan a visit, go to luckyorphans.org
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