Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce and Amanda Shimko, chief of staff for state Sen. Marty Flynn, load a collection of bulletproof vests to be transported to soldiers fighting in Ukraine. Flynn’s office has partnered with Father Myron Myronyuk of St. Vladimir’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Scranton to collect medical supplies and military equipment to be sent to help the Ukrainian citizens and soldiers.
Kevin Carroll | Times Leader
Luzerne County DA’s office collects vests, armor for Flynn’s appeal
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Luzerne County Det. James Degnan helps state Sen. Marty Flynn’s district director, Brian Doughton, load vests into the back of his car.
Kevin Carroll | Times Leader
Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce helps load the vests into the back of a car headed to Scranton.
Kevin Carroll | Times Leader
WILKES-BARRE — Representatives from state Sen. Marty Flynn’s office stopped by the Luzerne County Courthouse Tuesday to pick up a collection of bulletproof vests, helmets and body armor to be sent to Ukrainian troops and first responders.
In all, Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce said that his office had collected 116 vests, 20 helmets and numerous pieces of armor plating from law enforcement agencies across the county.
“We were contacted by Sen. Flynn, we wanted to deliver this stuff that was not being used by law enforcement over to Ukraine to help in that fight,” Sanguedolce said after he, some Luzerne County detectives and representatives from Flynn’s office loaded up the supplies to be taken back to Scranton, where the items would be organized and prepared for shipment overseas.
“I sent out a fax to all Luzerne County law enforcement and pretty much within 48 hours, we collected all this,” the DA said.
Sanguedolce explained that a number of the vests were left over from various law enforcement agencies who didn’t have use for them anymore.
In addition to Flynn, Sanguedolce also acknowledged that Plains Township Police Chief Dale Binker had contacted his office about donating equipment to the cause.
Flynn, D-Scranton, announced last week that he would be coordinating with St. Vladimir’s Ukrainian Catholic Church and its pastor, Father Myron Myronyuk, to provide equipment and medical supplies to the people of Ukraine.
The senator’s chief of staff, Amanda Shimko, and district director Brian Doughton were on hand to collect the supplies at the courthouse Tuesday afternoon.
Shimko said that the decision to begin this effort began when Myronyuk contacted Flynn’s office and explained to them his own personal connection to the fighting going on in Ukraine.
“Father Myron’s brother is fighting in the Ukrainian army currently, and he told us that many of the soldiers in his brother’s unit didn’t have helmets or vests,” Shimko said. “When the senator found out about that, we decided to put our resources, time and energy into figuring out the best way that we could help.”
Myronyuk is handling a large part of the logistics as it pertains to getting the supplies to Ukraine, according to Shimko. The collected equipment will be flown out of Philadelphia into Poland, and further coordination from there will get the equipment to the soldiers, first responders and citizens of Ukraine.
In addition to Tuesday’s donation from the Luzerne County District Attorney’s office, Shimko said that they had received additional equipment donations from neighboring counties, as well.
“We received 100 vests from Lackawanna and Monroe counties, we dropped those off Sunday night,” she said. “We’ve heard from Schuylkill County that they’d like to make a donation … we’re going to keep this effort going because it’s gotten legs.”
A large quantity of medical supplies — consisting of items such as over-the-counter medication, gauze, tape and first-aid kits — also have been collected, and Flynn’s office also is accepting monetary donations for St. Vladimir’s.
Anyone looking to donate money and/or supplies can stop by the senator’s offices in Scranton (409 N. Main Ave.) or Eynon (307 Betty St.) to drop off their donations.
As Sanguedolce spoke to reporters after the last of the supplies were loaded up and driven away, he cited Luzerne County’s deep Ukrainian ties as a crucial reason why a donation like Tuesday’s was so important.
“Members of our office and members of Sen. Flynn’s office personally know people with relatives over there … they’re going into the fighting without any protection whatsoever,” Sanguedolce said.
“We’re hoping that these vests, these helmets and the armor plating save lives. That’s the whole purpose.”
