Ripon Area VBS 2025 “Kids Helping Kids” Mission Project

The VBS Connection

Lieutenant Colonel Clay Salmela, Wisconsin Army National Guard (Retired), is pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Ripon. He suggested Kidsave Ukraine for this year’s “Kids Helping Kids” campaign. Pastor Clay was deployed to Ukraine for nine months in 2019-2000 as Brigade Chaplain. He and his Chaplain Assistant trained with Ukrainian chaplains (Fig.1), and a Ukrainian woman named Nataliia served as their linguist (Fig.2). Nataliia joined Kidsave Ukraine after the war escalated in February, 2022 and is Kidsave’s Head of Subdivision, Ukraine. Pastor Clay keeps in contact with her.

About the Ministry

Kidsave is based in Culver City, CA and operates in the US, Ukraine, Colombia, and Sierra Leone.

Kidsave Ukraine  cares for children who have been separated from their families or are orphans, and they evacuate and rescue children and families from combat zones. Kidsave Ukraine also brings aid to front-line cities and towns. Kidsave Miracles Center (Fig.3), which opened in the mountains of western Ukraine in summer 2024, is a place for connection, wellbeing, and opportunities for children and youth and the families who want to adopt them. Learn more at Kidsave.org.

  How You Can Help

Because special groups cover Kidsave’s administrative costs,  all of the dollars you donate go directly to programs. A donation of *$10.00 from each VBS student and volunteer is thoughtfully suggested and will be gratefully accepted at VBS. Our goal is to exceed $500.00.

*Donating is not a requirement to attend VBS.