Dozens of people gathered at the H. Odell Weeks Activities Center on Saturday morning to participate in the Aiken Walk for Ukrainian Refugees, hosted by USC Aiken and Aiken Scholars Academy.
Around 60 participants walked two laps around the track, the equivalent of one mile, raising over $1,000 for the International Rescue Committee (IRC) which provides support in Ukraine.
Sarah Porcha-Konjikusic, a student at Aiken Scholars Academy and committee chair of the Aiken Walk for Ukrainian Refugees, said she came up with the idea for the walk a couple of months ago.
“I was talking to my advisor and given a refugee crisis in Ukraine, I asked him if it would be possible for us to set up this walk for Ukrainian refugees,” Porcha-Konjikusic said.
She said when the crisis started she wanted to help, but couldn’t find a local outlet to support.
“I feel like even in a small town, even small gatherings such as this are still enough to make our voices heard,” Porcha-Konjikusic said. “It doesn’t matter the size of the event, we’re putting ourselves out there and standing in solidarity.”