…but, Highland Falls’ Olga Anderson did just that in August
You may know Highland Falls’ Olga Anderson as a diligent community volunteer who works hard to save the environment via gardening, composting and encouraging all she knows to be aware of their carbon footprint.
But you may not know two other things.
One, her parents were born in Ukraine but taken to a German refugee camp by the Nazi’s — they worked on a farm. Anderson was born there. Her family emigrated to the United States in 1949, and became citizens in 1957. She is proud of her Ukrainian heritage; you may remember she has helped with fundraising and awareness of the difficulties is facing during it’s current war with Russia.
Two, Anderson is very much an animal lover — she’s the proud owner of three formerly stray cats.
In August, she took a journey back to her homeland, now a war-torn country. She had been back in the past, but had not been back since the war began in 2022. But she wanted to go.
“I can’t talk about Ukraine without crying,” she said at a recent speaking event in Highland Falls, and recounted meeting a mutual friend via Highland Falls’ John Dodson. “I wanted to see for myself what life is like there now; they’re trying to have normal lives while a war is going on around them.”
Her new friend encouraged her to go, and, finding that she had a desire work with abandoned animals while there, had a friend in Ukraine who had an animal shelter where she could help. She showed photos of that shelter as part of her presentation, noting the shelter has about 100 animals, many left behind by fleeing families.
She had taken donations made by friends and family here to the shelter with her, and was able to help neuter five cats with those funds.
“I was so delighted to be able to do that,” she said.
She also tried to “make the animals happier”, and showing photos of dogs in a collapsible rubber pool that she brought with her.
“And because I’m a cat lady, I had to bring toys and snacks for the kitties,” she said. “The small donations I took made a difference. I bought water bowls, treats, vaccines and cat litter once I was there.”
She spoke about poor living conditions for those cats, and was able to get another donation — from former Highland Falls veterinarian Dr. Nancy Beeman — to buy a large crate for them to live in.
Aside from her animal adventures, Anderson spoke about the difficult in traveling to the country, a place where commercial airplanes no longer fly. She flew from New York (leaving at noon on a Wednesday) to Paris on to Bucharest, Romania and then traveled via bus to her hotel in Kolomyia. She arrived at that hotel on Friday morning.
“There is only a seven hour time difference, but it took me so long to get there that I had difficulty adjusting,” she said. “I didn’t sleep for days.”
Once acclimated, like she does here in Highland Falls, Anderson took some time every day to walk in her host city, and showed those at her presentation pictures of the beautiful churches and other architecture. At the presentation, held in the sanctuary of Church of the Holy Innocents in Highland Falls, she lingered over interior and exterior photos she took of the larger churches and small chapels — “tucked away in nooks and crannies” — around the city.
“The people of Ukraine are incredibly spiritual people,” she said. “One day I was walking through the city and heard a choir singing. I followed the sound, and there was a packed church service being broadcast; it was a Tuesday. It turns out this was a ‘feast day’ — it was August 14th, and the Savior of Honey Day!”
She explained the ‘feasts’ signified the end of summer and start of harvest season.
Another fun fact about Ukrainians? “They love their coffee,” she said. “You can get a fresh cup of coffee at little kiosks everywhere. They also excel at street food.”
She showed photos of a woman who sold corn right outside her hotel — “delicious,” she added.
Anderson took her listeners all over with her photos and commentary, showing videos of children enjoying summer days and street performances; talking about how she brought home Heirloom seeds to plant here next summer; showing more beautiful sites, like fountains; quick visits with family members she hadn’t seen in many years; and even coming across a funeral procession.
“There are posters of fallen soldiers on the main streets and flag covered graves in cemeteries,” she said. “There are constant reminders of the cost of this war.”
It has been reported that about 70,000 Ukranian soldiers have died in the war. “The reality is, everybody knows somebody who has died,” she said.
But, as well, Anderson visited a rehabilitation hospital, noting the country is “really committed” to helping those wounded in their service to the country.
At the start of her presentation, Anderson got a little choked up, talking about the “beautiful blue skies and yellow fields — as far as the eye can see” that remind her of the blue and yellow flag of Ukraine”.
She said she worries that fighting in Ukraine will affect the country’s plethora of grain fields — “it’s known as the ‘Bread Basket’ of Europe,” she said, “and without them there is a real risk of hunger and starvation in many parts of the world.”
Pastor Ross Topliff from the Hudson Highlands United Methodist Church opened the afternoon. “Be with us as we consider those in Ukraine … help us to see what they are going through and think of something we can do to help them, even if it is just our prayer.”
Anderson thanked the Town of Highlands Clergy Association, and specifically Pastor Agnes Saffoury and the Church of the Holy Innocents for hosting the event.
