By Randy Bretz, Rotary Club of Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
What began as an online mentoring project for young teens around the world has become a story of two Rotarians from two states helping a new college student from Belarus get settled in the United States. I’m a member of the Rotary Club of Lincoln (Rotary 14), Nebraska, and Harlow Hyde is a member of Rotary in DeLand, Florida.
I met Belarus native Kira Zaitsava when she joined a small group I was mentoring through an organization called Moonshot Pirates. She was one of four high school students I met with on Zoom every other week in late 2023 and early 2024. I’d ask them about what they’d like to do in life, what their plans were for getting an education, and what challenges they were facing.
Kira was especially enthusiastic about wanting to come to the United States to attend college. I remember her saying, with certainty, that she would study here and maybe even move here. She wanted to pursue an education so she could return to Belarus and do good things. She also mused about becoming a U.S. citizen and running for United States Congress one day. I helped her research colleges, which ultimately led to an offer to attend Stetson University in DeLand, Florida.
As her plans transitioned from hopeful to more certain, I said I’d be her “American Grandpa” if she came to the U.S. I reached out to Harlow in DeLand. We’d been friends when he lived in Lincoln, and I thought he might be able to help Kira now and then if she made it to DeLand.
Ultimately Kira did get accepted to Stetson University, then received a visa to travel. She got on a plane and made it to Orlando after more than 24 hours traveling. Then she got on a shuttle from Orlando to DeLand, using a ticket Harlow had purchased. She was met in DeLand by Harlow and three fellow Rotarians, who helped the 17-year-old make it to campus and get settled in her dorm room.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg of a story about how a young, enthusiastic, energetic, and excited young woman from Belarus has been helped by two Rotarians who believe in service above self. We’ve been guided by the knowledge that when people work to create peace through connection in their communities, it will have a global effect.
I’ve been in touch with Kira’s parents in Belarus and they’ve shared how much they appreciate Rotary and how we’ve helped Kira. Harlow and Rotary colleagues in Florida have already made more contacts with Kira as she has begun orientation. I plan a quick trip to Florida this fall and hope also to have Kira visit our home sometime during the school year.
https://blog.rotary.org/2024/09/10/nebraska-florida-rotarians-help-belarus-student/