This Christmas collection drive was really about Mr. Boyd Byelich, a member of the non-profit One Box, who is passionate about delivering whatever goods he can (other than food) to the Ukrainian people affected by the Russian invasion & destructive attacks on their country. 

It started when Boyd first volunteered at a refugee center in Poland shortly after the war began, as thousands of Ukrainians fled their homes with only a suitcase & the clothes on their backs.  Boyd returned to Rogers City & started collection drives for all those items you would consider important possessions to live in temporary quarters & chilling weather, often without electricity.  Boyd uses his home & garage to store & organize merchandise in large shipping boxes according to need.  Medical kits, toothbrushes, men’s coats & boots, flashlights/candles, playing cards, & socks get shipped to the Ukrainian army.  Women & children’s shoes, socks, underwear, coats, mittens, sweatshirts, pants, toys, backpacks, blankets, & art/school supplies are sent to orphanages, shelters, refugee centers or frontline villages. 

Boyd has been to Ukraine over 9 times since the war began & has learned the relief distribution network & met with their dedicated relief workers.  He drives to Detroit from Northeast Michigan nearly every week to deliver boxes for shipment by boat.  It costs about $50-60 to ship One Box to Ukraine.  Boyd uses Ukrainian shipping companies, & the goods take about 30 days to arrive there.  Boyd said shipping requires hands on involvement & trusted personal relationships to avoid goods ending up on the black market.  He makes sure his shipment deliveries arrive in Ukraine or Poland at their right destination.  When Boyd travels to Ukraine, he meets with local relief groups to assess needs & develop good relationships.  Sometimes with donated monies he will go shop in a large city & bring back whatever certain groups or families need, such as laundry or kitchen appliances.  Boyd wears a bulletproof vest near the front lines.  He communicates with sign language & Google Translate.

Anyone wishing to help can search the Facebook group “One Box for Ukraine” for Boyd Byelich’s contact information, more details about needed donations, as well as a link to their GoFundMe account.

Boyd Byelich received a standing ovation, & several hundred dollars in checks, after he spoke at the November Alpena Democratic Party membership meeting. 

Pictured is Boyd standing second from right holding an American/Ukrainian flag with members of the Alpena County Democratic Party, & a stack of the boxed goods handed over to One Box for Ukraine by them.