Efforts to support, help Ukraine going strong in Wake County

CARY, N.C. (WTVD) -- The ice is a welcome distraction for Anna Tyshkovetz.

"I'm worried about my family, I'm worried about my grades and everything," said the UNC freshman from Ukraine. "I don't need additional stress right now."

She came out Tuesday night for a Skate for Ukraine event at the Polar Ice House in Cary to help raise money for the humanitarian effort.

"The situation is pretty stable," said Anna, whose father is on the frontlines. "The Ukrainian armed forces are doing a great job, and I'm really proud of my dad that he's there."

Some of the money raised at Tuesday's event and the one in Wake Forest last week has already been wired to people on the ground.

They're helping bring medications and food to disabled people or those who can't stand in line for hours.

Slava Petukhova is a skating coach at the Wake Forest location.

She helped organize the event Tuesday and was selling cookies by the door.

Her sister in Ukraine told her "Mentally I'm feeling like a mother who wants to take her child out of the country -- that would be the right thing to do but emotionally, physically, I cannot leave my country."

The Christ Baptist Church in north Raleigh also hosted a prayer service Tuesday to pray for Ukraine.

They joined with the Moldovan Baptist Church, which uses this space on Sunday nights, to have the service.

"I have my mom there, we have friends there," said Val Vizitiu, pastor of the Moldovan Baptist Church. "It's not just from the news. We know exactly what's happening there. We need to pray for peace, Peace is more important and second, we need to pray for these refugees.