When Trach’s longtime friend, New Milford’s Mikki Harkin, saw the flower, she thought it should be a postcard, and pair it with a packet of sunflower seeds — Ukraine’s national flower, and sell it to support Ukraine.

The women plan to donate the proceeds to three charities: National Bank of Ukraine, Globalgiving: Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund
and World Central Kitchen.

Each postcard/seed packet set is $5 and within a month, they made $1,200.

The idea

Trach said she was inspired to draw the flower a few days after the invasion.

“It was a Sunday night and my heart was heavy,” said Trach, 52, a mother of two who teaches English at Carmel High School in Carmel, N.Y. “I just started drawing a sunflower. And then I thought of putting all different kinds of words of strength and hope on all the different parts of the flower.”

Words inscribed on the sunflower include heart, roots, unity, believe, love, pride, light, faith and strength.

When she was finished, she posted the flower on Facebook. Harkin saw it and suggested they team up and create the fundraiser.

“I am absolutely astounded at what is going on in Ukraine. And while a lot of places do need support, either monetarily or good-wise, what is going on there just reminds me of World War II,” said Harkin, 54, a mother of three and an occupational therapist.

Trach said she wants to help Ukraine for a much more personal reason — her heritage.

Several years ago, through DNA testing, she learned her roots are in Ukraine.

“I had gotten my DNA results a couple years ago. I had a feeling that Ukraine was in there somewhere and I looked at my result. And yeah, it wasn’t the Ukraine then because I’m 52. But yes, Ukrainian and Latvia,” Trach said.

To have that connection made her feel “proud,” she said.

Her Ukrainian roots are on her father’s side of the family.

“I never met him, which was one of the reasons why I got the DNA test,” she said.

The women posted their fundraiser on social media, put up flyers in teachers’ rooms at the New Milford schools, and told their friends. The link was announced New Milford’s Town Council meeting.

They immediately began receiving orders.

“One woman bought $200 worth,” Trach said.

The women drop off the items in residents mailboxes and then mail to those who are out of town.

“We’re willing to ship anywhere as long as people are willing to buy them,” Harkin said.

If they run out of supplies, they’ll replenish them.

“I’ve got five pounds of sunflower seeds waiting to go. I had ordered packages through Amazon. We put a handful of seeds in each packet with directions on them,” Harkin said. “I would love to see New Milford covered with sunflowers this spring and summer.”

Trach said while Ukraine is on the other side of the world, media coverage brings it closer to home.

“You may feel somewhat removed from the situation. We’re over here and it kind of feels like a different world, which it is, but because of social media, it’s so much closer,” Trach said. “It’s like, they’re in your home and you feel their pain, and I always believe that art heals. So doing it made me feel better. Having people buy it also makes me feel good because I knew the money is going to go to some really good organizations to help the Ukrainian people.”

While Trach said the amount of money they raised may not seem like a lot, she said if everyone makes an effort, using their talents, it can have a great effect.

“What I can do in this world is I can make art, and I can give art to people to make them happy,” she said.

She said people need to show they care about one another — “not just for Ukraine, but for everyday life in New Milford. You could use your talents in any way you can to help connect people — that’s what I’m hoping this does.”

To order the postcards and seeds, visit bit.ly/mikkih.

sandra.fox@hearstmediact.com 203-948-9802