Kevin Richards with Co-Chairs Ed Carter and Janna Bullock hosted an unforgettable night at La Goulue Palm Beach to raise funding support for Ukraine Resistance Organization (URO). URO is an on-the-ground organization based in Kyiv created by Aleksey Brynzak and Ireesha Blohina on February 24, 2022 — the day Putin invaded Ukraine with 100,000 Russian troops and began his “Siege of Terror”. URO has become one of the most effective local organizations putting funds to immediate use on both the front battle lines as well as the humanitarian efforts thanks to its strong ties to the government, military, and sports worlds in Ukraine. Says Blohina, the Ukrainian Olympic coach in Rhythmic Gymnastics “This is our country, our city, our family. We are not leaving."

Richards, who owns ad agency Dune Road Group, spent close to a month in Kyiv photographing, reporting and volunteering. His photographs from the battlezones as well as from war life in Kyiv and Lviv were exhibited at the event with proceeds from sales being donated to URO.

The highlight of the event was an exchange between Richards and URO founders Brynzak and Blohina via FaceTime on a big screen. Attendees were mesmerized by their first hand accounts and pleas for support. Bombs were literally being dropped on Kyiv while they were speaking.

Among the 100 guests were Kevin Richards, Janna Bullock, Ed Carter, Kim Hierston, Lauren Roberts, Jean Shafiroff, Michele Rella, Arthur & Mara Benjamin, Karen Klop, Brett Orlove, Dina Fink, Camilla Webster, Brad & Lauren Torres, Dara Sowell and Ron Burkhardt.