Pictured from front left are Erik Anderson, a Swedish YMCA staff member; Soshun Komoru, a Japanese YMCA staff member; Rachel Lessinger of Cassadaga; and So Murata, a Japanese YMCA staff member. From back left are Michael McFarren of Jamestown; Moa Anderson, a Swedish YMCA staff member; Yulia Gluhova, a Turkmenistani YMCA staff member. All staff members were part of the most recent exchange program. Submitted photo

The Jamestown Area YMCA is utilizing a long-established relationship with its Swedish counterpart to aid Ukrainian refugees.

The local YMCA is collecting funds to assist its partner YMCA in Norrkoping, Sweden, to meet its relief efforts for women and children who are fleeing the war in Ukraine. It’s not the first time the local Y has partnered with the Swedish arm of the organization.

Mark Eckendorf said the Jamestown YMCA established a partnership with the YMCA of Sweden in 1998 when he and Camp Onyahsa Director Jon O’Brian visited the Stockholm and Norrkoping YMCA facilities. A staff and camper exchange program began during that time but took a brief hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We had a long-time relationship with Norrkoping, Sweden,” Eckendorf said. “We’ve stayed in touch over the years. … We’ve maintained some good relationships with people there in Sweden, and Jon became aware of this dilemma they were facing and when we heard about it, we thought, well, maybe we can help.”

While working to rebuild the international camp staff exchange for the upcoming season, O’Brian said he became aware of the Norrkoping YMCA’s emergency project to care for Ukrainian refugees, who are almost exclusively women and children. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, millions of refugees have fled Ukraine and are moving through the European Union, O’Brian said. Hundreds have already arrived in Norrkoping with only the possessions they could carry, and the municipality is struggling to deal with the challenges.

“I asked, ‘What can I do?'” O’Brian said, recounting a conversation with Norrkoping YMCA Executive Director Lisa Larnemark Shultzberg. “She said, ‘Well, here’s a letter that we are sending to businesses and organizations in Norrkoping … and I said, ‘Look, I’ll do what I can — there are certainly caring people in the Jamestown area, and maybe a number of them still have an affinity for Sweden.”

O’Brian said efforts are being made to support refugees, including housing, feeding and providing recreation and mental health services at Camp Brevik, Norrkoping’s heated summer camp, and at YMCA facilities within the city.

Eckendorf and O’Brian, in consultation with the YMCA of the USA’s World Service program, have set up a fund through the Jamestown YMCA that will collect funds through cash, check or online donation and pass 100% of the contributions to the Norrkoping YMCA.

“A lot of people think of the Y as it’s a pool, it’s a gymnasium — but it’s really a lot more,” O’Brian said. “There’s this global focus. I suppose maybe thankfully it’s not usually in the newspapers because we just kind of do that behind the scenes.”

Contributions may be made to the “Jamestown YMCA Refugee Relief Fund” by check or cash at the Jamestown branch located at 101 E. Fourth St. in Jamestown or online through the Camp Onyahsa website at www.onyahsa.org More information is available by contacting Eckendorf or O’Brian at 716-664-2802.

The YMCA was established in London, England in 1844 and it is an international movement based in over 120 countries, including Ukraine and Russia. The YMCA of the USA has a renewed focus on Global Engagement.