During introductions and privileges of the floor this week in the Wyoming Senate, I shared the story of the Ukrainian visitors that came to Afton on Saturday night. I provided a brief overview of their presentation at the Afton Civic Center, called Love of Home, Ukraine’s Unsung Community Defenders. Working with the Ellwangers, a family who keeps a home in Star Valley, arrangements were made for the Ukrainians to meet with local government officials in Utah and Idaho, and the state legislature in Utah. I could not arrange a Cheyenne trip and a legislative visit because of time constraints, but we did include an Afton stop. An invitation was extended to town and county officials to attend the evening. The evening offered an overview of their life and challenges in Ukraine for a gathering of approximately 75.

Often speaking with the help of an interpreter we learned of difficulties keeping water lines and power transmission systems operating and simply trying to defend homes and business against drone attacks as part of daily life in parts of their country.

We enjoyed a follow-up dinner meeting with our visitors and on my 7-hour run back to Cheyenne, my thoughts about funding towns, counties, and schools in addition to finding insurance solutions for health care were interrupted as I reflected on the stories of a life disrupted by war.

In an abbreviated form, I shared our Ukrainian visit to western Wyoming during a time allotted for introductions and reports. I told the Senate we exchanged gifts, something simple that allows for international travel, yet meaningful.

For me, meaningful is something that represents this great state. I gave all four of our Ukrainian visitors hats with my favorite state logo, Wyoming, Forever West!

Their meaningful gift for me left an impression – an encased piece of shrapnel from a Russian drone that had destroyed some of their homeland. It sits on my desk in the Senate today.