Sculpture fundraiser for Ukraine surpasses goal

Thousands will be donated to the people of Ukraine while the city of Sioux Falls will add a new sculpture to its downtown collection.

Artist Serge Mozhnevsky, a sculptor who has participated in SculptureWalk for many years, was born in Uzhhorod in western Ukraine and now lives in British Columbia.

Mozhnevsky was contacted by Volodymyr Khymynets, a professor and the director of the Transcarpathian charitable foundation Edelweiss, asking for help.

Many refugees — women, children, the disabled and elderly — travel through their city to escape the war, he said. Their needs include food, baby formula, clothing and medical supplies.

In response, Mozhnevsky contacted SculptureWalk to see if organizers were interested in purchasing his current exhibit, Overcoming.

In total, more than $16,000 has been raised. Overcoming will now become part of SculptureWalk’s permanent collection, and Mozhnevsky will donate 100 percent of the money raised to purchase his sculpture to help the people of Uzhhorod.

“This fundraising campaign has been overwhelmingly successful, and we are grateful to everyone who contributed to this cause,” said Jim Mathis, a member of the SculptureWalk board of directors.