Two Ukrainian refugee children who recently arrived in Palm Coast, Florida with their mothers received a special welcome from Sheriff Rick Staley and Joe Golan from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. According to Action News Jax, Staley and Golan surprised the two children, Timur and Masha, and their mothers with bicycles. Recognizing the happiness the bikes brought to the children, Staley and Golan shared that they both wanted to help make the children’s arrival with their mothers a little better since both of their fathers stayed behind to defend Ukraine in the war with Russia.
Known as The Bike Men of Flagler County, Staley and Golan recondition bicycles to give to children. Staley shared that “getting to see the looks on Timur and Masha’s faces when they received their bikes was just priceless. They’ve been through so much the past few months and they are still in good spirits.”
Sheriff Staley is also donating bullet-resistant vests and helmets that are out of warranty but are still usable to the Ukrainian military. He said that one saved his life when he was younger, and he knows that these supplies will help the Ukrainian military in the fight for their country. According to Action News Jax, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office shipped 21 vests and 11 helmets to Ukraine after the National Sheriff’s Association sent out a message to sheriff’s offices across the country asking them to supply surplus vests and helmets to the Ukrainian military.
Helping Ukrainian families adjust to a new country after fleeing their war-torn homeland, Staley and Golan are among those making a difference in their lives. Sensitive to the fact that many wives and children are arriving without their husbands and fathers, acts of kindness like these can go a long way in making them feel welcome.