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This small world where war seems so far away, but really isn't

5/4/2022

1 Comment

 
Story up-dated to correct a named spelling and incorrect occupation.
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Woman who grew up here in Venango County is making a difference hosting seven Ukraine refugees in her home in Germany.

Marianne Orris Kasch grew up in Seneca. Her mom Beth Orris is a well known community leader of song having taught chorus for years and leading the Venango Chorus. Marianne graduated from Cranberry and went to a fairly local college at Westminster.

​Back in the early 2000s she met a German man named Christoph Kasch who was in a America as an exchange counselor near Butler. While at that camp he befriended Igor Krypa from Ukraine. They became fast friends.

Christoph married Marianne and they now live in Germany raising their family. Igor went back to Ukraine to become a Neurosurgeon and is also raising a family The Kasch's were in the process of fixing up a property they owned in Germany to start a bed and breakfast when another, more important need for the place came to light. 

The war in Ukraine from an invading Russia.

Their friend Igor wanted his family safe and sent them, along with a friend's family to Germany to stay with the Kasch's who accepted them willingly with open arms. Seven Ukraine refugees have a safe harbor in these trying times in part to one of our own from northwest Pennsylvania.

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One of the refugees, Shynkarenko Natalya, is an engineer and psychologist who loves to paint in her free time. Recently she had put one of her paintings up for an online auction to raise money for Ukranian refugees in need. This was sent all over the world thanks to the internet.

The painting sold for 175 Euros which equals around 185 dollars.

​This chance encounter in Butler Pennsylvania 20 years ago has brought this story from across the globe into some perspective that we're not all that far apart.

Two great friends are able to help each other in some big way. Igor still lives in Ukraine, but knows his family is safe, in part to someone he met here in northwest Pennsylvania.

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1 Comment
Marianne Kasch
5/4/2022 12:29:03 pm

Hi! This is Marianne. Just so you know, Igor read this article and is so proud that this story is being shared. He wants people to stay involved in this disaster and to keep hearing stories like his, but also realize what is happening in Ukraine right now is truly horrible. Fortunately, his family is safe and he has great peace in that fact. Thanks for the write up!
Also, Christoph's name is still misspelled.... ;-)

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