‘Keep this alive’: Small rally at Bend corner offers big message — don’t forget Ukraine’s bloodshed
Rally of three aims to remind all who pass by of what's at stake
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- It's been a month since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, and Central Oregonians have stepped up in big ways to help. Bake sales, auctions, rallies, and other fundraisers have proved that anyone can support a cause, even from thousands of miles away.
However, as the one-month anniversary arrived on Thursday, it was a normal day of business as usual in downtown Bend.
But a group of friends challenged the idea of "normal," gathering at the corner of Greenwood Avenue and Wall Street, which has come to known after years of protests and rallies as "Peace Corner," as a reminder. A reminder of the ongoing horrors of Russia's invasion.
Diana Shamusco, a Sunriver resident, was one of three people on the corner Thursday, holding up signs and Ukrainian flags. She says rallying for the embattled country is just as important now as it was a month ago.
"We just want to make sure that people keep it in their minds," Shamusco told NewsChannel 21. "Because our lives are normal, and their lives have turned upside down. We need to keep it in our minds that there are people out there that are being attacked."
The group of three wants to continue raising awareness, saying it's easy to forget what happens on the other side of the world.
"It's easy to sit in my living room and think, 'Oh, I feel sos bad for those people, and you know -- I'm just sitting there cozy with my cup of coffee or my tea, reading the newspaper, or watching the TV," Shamusco said. "But we need to keep this alive, and doing little things can help build bigger things."
Although they are a small group, the community noticed. The sound of honking horns and people cheering from their car windows filled the downtown intersection.
None of the three have ties to Ukraine -- just an understanding of what's at stake. Bend resident Bob Bowden says it's democracy and people's lives he wants to protect.
"I have kids, I have grandkids, I'm part of a community 00 and I want people to have choices, I want the freedom to be there," he said. "And so, I am going to stand, and I am going to keep rallying."
Showing small actions, like standing on a corner with homemade signs, can make a big difference.
"I think it's really important to not let it get out of front and center," Bowden said. "Let's stand up for freedom, and stand up for people of the world."
