Kids get radiation respite
Belarussian children have been coming to the Valley for 10 years.
The Children of Chernobyl, United States Charitable Fund, is a nonprofit organization established in 1992 by the Belarussian Charitable Fund in the Republic of Belarus.
It is a nongovernment agency consisting of more than 5,000 volunteers dedicated to help save the children of the devastated country by providing them with a respite from ongoing radiation exposure.
Because of the state of the Belarussian economy and lack of support of their government, the fund has established local organizations to take in these children in more than 20 countries around the world and relies on them to raise funds to transport the children.
In Mahoning Valley: This is the 10th year the children have visited the Mahoning Valley, said Joe Knable, president of the local Children of Chernobyl group. The group expects to bring 180 children to the area this summer.
The group brings healthy children from Belarus between the ages of 8 and 12 to America for a six- to eight-week respite. By removing them from the contamination, their immune systems begin to function normally and their bodies are more likely to fight off the effects of radiation.
Children are placed with host families, matching age and gender of Belarussian children and American families as closely as possible.
They are exposed to good water, healthful food, fresh air and sunshine. They are started on multivitamins and provided summer clothing. They also receive medical checkups, dental care and treatment and eye care donated by local doctors.
Contacts: For more information on the program or being host to a child, contact Knable at (330) 965-0341 or visit the Web site at www.chernobyl.org.