My name is Lauren Moscioni, and I have been supporting the war effort in Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022. In 2024, I was honored to join the board of Hope For Ukraine. Having traveled to Ukraine twice to work directly with displaced families in Lviv, this past summer took me somewhere entirely different: a seaside resort on the Adriatic coast of Italy, where I served as a volunteer counselor for our youth summer camp.
The purpose of the camp is simple yet profound. It gives children growing up in the heavy conflict zones of Eastern Ukraine a chance to step out of a world defined by bombings and air raid sirens. The group I was paired with was a team of young athletes from Kryvyi Rih who made the grueling multi-day bus journey across borders just to reach the water.
Every day had a steady rhythm. Mornings started with beach workouts and yoga as the sun came up over the sea. For many of these kids, it was their very first time seeing the ocean. But the reality of their everyday lives hit hardest when a commercial airliner descended toward Venice overhead. The first plane startled every single one of them, their bodies instantly bracing for danger. Once they realized they were safe, though, the subsequent planes turned into a source of pure fascination.
Beyond the beach, our afternoons were packed. The kids dove into art projects like painting canvas bags and making candles, and kept their athletic skills sharp with coaching sessions in dance and karate. We even ventured out for day trips through the canals of Venice and an afternoon at the zoo, filled with the simple wonder of discovering somewhere new.
What impressed me most was the children themselves. Their spirits never dimmed. They were polite, generous, and constantly smiling despite everything they carry back home. For them, it was a rare stretch where the war fell away and childhood took center stage.
Looking back, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for this experience. Witnessing their resilience changed me profoundly, deepening my resilience in ways I never expected. I came to Lignano thinking I was there to give something to these kids, but I left knowing they gave me far more in return.