CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS — At left, from left to right, Liudmyla Shapovalova, Olha Hinchak, Yelyzaveta “Liza” Yaryshkina, Nadia Omelchuk and Iryna Hodun, all Ukrainian exchange students in Iowa who have opted not to return home due to the ongoing war, attended orientation at UNI recently. The “Dreams to Degrees” benefit concert for the Humanitarian Scholarship Fund of Iowa, established by Liza’s host parents Alli and Brock Johnson, will be held at Water Works Park in Des Moines on Sunday featuring performances from two Marshalltown musical acts. At top right is the logo for the Humanitarian Scholarship Fund of Iowa, a new nonprofit established by Alli and Brock Johnson, and at bottom right is Brock Johnson pictured with Liza and Hodun.

DES MOINES — When Nadia Omelchuk, Olha Hinchak, Yelyzaveta Yaryshkina, Iryna Hodun, Liudmyla Shapovalova and Kostiantyn Tsymbol came to Iowa from different parts of Ukraine as foreign exchange students in the fall of 2021, they assumed they’d spend a year here and return home. The Russian invasion of their country that began in February of 2022 has changed everything and forced them to completely recalibrate their plans.

Fortunately for the students — including Hinchak, who attended West Marshall and now lives with Tom and Mary Curley of Marshalltown, and Yaryshkina, who’s been living with Marshalltown native Alli Johnson (the Curleys’ daughter) and her husband Brock in Waukee — they’ve been met with incredible generosity from the people of Iowa, and they’ll now have the opportunity to stay here even longer. Oksana Grybovych Hafermann, who serves as the Chief of Staff to the President at UNI, is a native of Ukraine and has been instrumental in helping to create a package to allow each of the five young women to attend the school through scholarships and work study programs. Conversely, Tsymbol has received a full-ride scholarship to Grinnell College.

The Johnsons have established the Humanitarian Scholarship Fund of Iowa to provide funding for these scholarships, and a free will donation benefit concert featuring two Marshalltown-area musical acts — Phil Shipley and The So Hard Band, comprised of singer/guitarist Art Hanford, bassist Ron Ohrt and drummer Kim Ferneau — will be held at Water Works Park in Des Moines on Sunday. Shipley will take the stage first from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and The So Hard Band will play from 3:30 to 5 p.m.

Hanford, who recently composed a new song called “Breaking Silence” about the need to speak up in order to create a better world, cited the Ukraine-Russia situation as a prime example.

“I believe it’s important to be sensitive and empathetic to the plight of others, especially in situations beyond their control. It’s difficult to imagine the worry and fear for friends, family and homeland the Ukrainian students face every day. They face unplanned financial hardships as well,” Hanford said. “I guess I’m more of a humanity first guy. We are all brothers and sisters. Treat all as such. Look out for one another. I’m at a stage in life where I have some experiences and learnings to pass on. I have 12 grandchildren and a divided world. Writing and playing music is a forum.”

In addition to the musical acts (Bands, Brews and Bikes will play from 1 to 3 p.m., Tom Box of Ames from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and “Music Under the Stars” will cap off the night starting at 7), food trucks will be set up around the area along with a dunk tank featuring a state legislator as well as former Marshalltown resident Bill Fitzgerald, face painting, a photo station and a beer garden. Humanitarian souvenir koozies will be up for sale with proceeds benefiting the Humanitarian Scholarship Fund, and bracelets made by the Ukrainian students will be distributed with a free will donation option available. All of the artists are playing for free, and 15 percent of the proceeds from the food truck sales will also go to the scholarship fund.

Those who are more technologically inclined are encouraged to send a Venmo donation to the @hsfiowa account. Mary Curley said Marshalltown area individuals and businesses have already pledged over $4,000 in sponsorships for the students so far.

Brock Johnson told the T-R he and his wife have big dreams for the future of their brand new nonprofit and hope it can help other refugee students — whether they come from Ukraine, Sudan, Bosnia, Afghanistan or any other war-torn region of the world — further their educations by attending college. He thanked the people in charge of Water Works Park for allowing the event to happen and keeping the cost down, Raygun for discounting the t-shirts and the food truck vendors for donating back a portion of their proceeds.

“I’ve just been amazed at how many people are just ready to step up and help and how many people we’ve had just pitching in,” he said. “At every angle, everyone’s been willing to step up and help, so for me, that’s been the coolest part of all this. And then obviously, the big benefit goes back to these kids, and we’ve had a pretty good response so far.”

To learn more about the Humanitarian Scholarship Fund of Iowa, visit the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093567589344 or call Alli Johnson (515) 991-2930.