Devastation seen in Georgia prompts 7th-grader to help

Expecting a pleasant summer visit with her grandparents, 12-year-old Mary Tsakadze wound up hiding from an invading Russian army.

The Hawthorn Middle School North seventh-grader was visiting relatives in the former Soviet state of Georgia when war broke out last month. And she's returned home with a desire to relieve some of the suffering she witnessed.

The annual visit to Bakuriani, a rural town in central Georgia, is a highlight for the Vernon Hills girl. "We have a big family," Mary said. "Besides my grandparents, I get to see my aunts, uncles and cousins, too." Mary met up with her father, Kaha, who was already there. Mary's mother, Nellie Gurevitch, didn't make the trip.

Mary and her father were driving between two towns when they encountered an unexpected checkpoint. Georgian soldiers had closed the road and the pair were forced to take an eight-hour detour to avoid entering a combat zone.

A short time after they returned to the grandparents' home, Georgian soldiers showed up at the door. "They told us we had to leave quickly," Mary said. "I was pretty scared."

She said the family had been watching the news about the Russian invasion, but didn't think their town would be affected directly.

Mary and other relatives were hustled into the basement of a nearby building. It offered some safety from an expected attack.

"It was dark in there and crowded," Mary said. "We could hear fighter jets flying over the building. It was scary and horrible and all I wanted to do was talk to my mom." The attack on the town didn't come, but the family was forced to stay in the basement for three days.

The immediate danger had passed, but over the next few weeks, Mary watched news reports about the devastation in towns close by. "It was so sad," she said. "These people had nothing after their houses were wrecked. They are wearing the same clothes for weeks at a time."

Mary had an idea. "We have so much stuff around here, more than we need," She said. "I thought it would be a good thing to collect clothes and send them over there."

As a member of the student council, Mary got the word out at her school. The students have responded, bringing dozens of bags full of clothes, including hats, coats and gloves.

News of the drive has spread to Vernon Hills High School, and items are coming in from there, too.

The drive is over now, and Mary's father is working out the details of shipping the donations.

The generosity isn't lost on Mary.

"Looking at all these clothes, I get this feeling of happiness all over," she said. "This is a really good thing."

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