A Meeting of Hearts and Minds at ASW

Last week, a group of players, coaches and baseball moms and dads from New York Empire Baseball met with the Ossa kids, for a day of baseball at the American School of Warsaw.

Over the course of an amazing day organized by Fundacja SOK, Ukrainian children connected with the American baseballers and the Warsaw-based hosts, NGO workers, and volunteers.

On Saturday, June 26, the Americans met with the Ossa kids, this time for a day of baseball at the American School of Warsaw, which is leading the pack among the international schools involved in charity programs helping refugees. Empire- and SOK-emblazoned sports clothing in Ukraine’s national colors was distributed to the dozens of children arriving from Ossa by bus while hundreds more yellow-and-blue t-shirts and pairs of shorts were on their way directly to the orphanage. The US Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission Daniel Lawton—notably a former head of the Ukraine Task Force at the U.S. Department of State—arrived to witness the training and festivities. Burgers, hot dogs, fries, fruit, and cheesecake were served by Soliwoda Catering, a family business with firsthand experience hosting refugees—like countless other Poles, the Soliwodas have opened their home to strangers fleeing Ukraine. Over the course of an amazing day, Ukrainian children connected with the American baseballers and the Warsaw-based hosts, NGO workers, and volunteers.