May 3, 2022
We started this week with the first 1,800 boxes packed and ready for delivery! The team worked hard through Saturday and afternoon on Sunday to be ready to unload the first batch on Monday. Yesterday and today we made our first deliveries to Chernigiv, (600 boxes), Poltava (720 boxes) and Kryvyi Rig (500 boxes).
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Katie Bonawitz first visited Ukraine with her husband, Luke, for three months in 2021 during her sabbatical. Her focus was in the area of disabilities. They served at Camp Maximum during the Family Camp helping parents of children with disabilities. Katie went on to provide workshops and seminars across Ukraine for educators and professionals who serve children with disabilities. Although Katie’s sabbatical was through Bethel University, her work directly connected with Shepherd’s Foundation’s Mission and a very strong partnership was established with Vitaliy and Camp Maximum. Katie and Vitaliy did several speaking engagements together and in Spring 2022, even co-presented at a virtual National Inclusion Conference through Cherkasy National University. Recently, in 2022, Katie began to serve on the Shepherd’s Foundation Board.
Katie has a background in disability education and has been the Program Director of the MA Special Education program at Bethel since 2007. Additionally, she is the Assistant Dean of the Center for Access & Integration, also at Bethel.
In her free time, Katie enjoys traveling, cooking, and biking with her husband, Luke. She currently resides in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Dr. Marshall Wade is an oral surgeon who began traveling to Ukraine in 1994. During that preliminary trip, Dr. Wade fell in love with the country and its people. As the Team Leader of one of the Shepherd’s Foundation dental teams, he recruited dentists, hygienists and dental assistants and worked with Ukrainian dentists and authorities to develop a joint American/ Ukrainian outreach to orphanages in Ukraine. Since that time he has made more than 20 trips to Ukraine. This is Dr. Wade’s second tour of duty on the Shepherd’s Board and he is excited about the future opportunities to advance the gospel in Ukraine.
In the U.S., Dr. Wade is the senior partner at Maplewood Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, a private practice in the north St. Paul suburbs. He has taught dental groups across the country and in Ukraine and is the Director of True North Professional Studies, a continuing education group for dentists and dental specialists. He has been married to his wife, Terri, for 44 years. They have 3 children and 7 grandchildren.
Paul M. Floyd is a licensed attorney, practicing business law in the Minneapolis law firm of Wallen-Friedman & Floyd, P.A. He has been practicing business and corporate law in Minnesota for over thirty years, having graduated from William Mitchell College of Law in 1983.
Prior to attending law school, Paul graduated from Bethel Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree. He focused on New Testament theology and was a youth pastor at First Baptist Church in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. Over the years, Paul has had the privilege of being an elder and teacher at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis and at Calvary Baptist Church in Roseville.
Since the late 1990s, Paul has been actively involved as a team member, director and now Chair of the Board of Directors of Shepherd’s Foundation. Paul and his wife, Donna, live in Roseville with their one cat – Zach.
Olivia M. Bradley is the founder and former Chairman and CEO of Trans-Consolidated, Inc., a logistics company specializing in the consolidation and distribution of perishable foods. She has served as Midwest Regional Director of a Committee of 200 and on the board of Marquette Bank NE in addition to a variety of other business related boards.
Her passion is to mirror Christ’s passion for the lost. Having retired in 2000, she will be the first to tell you her career served only to prepare her for this time in her life.
She has been involved in various mission projects in Ukraine since 1999. Whether working with children, economic development or women’s ministries, her passion remains the same.
She has served on the Shepherd’s Foundation’s board since 2012, and is excited to be working with the House of Hope in Poltava, Ukraine. Much needs to be done to create an inclusive environment, where children with special needs can enjoy all the same rights and privileges as any other child.
Olivia is married to the love of her life and has four grown children and five beautiful grandchildren. Additionally, she is the Associate Teaching Director of the newly formed Community Bible Study class in Surprise, Arizona, where they enjoy a nice break from cold Minnesota winters.
Kyle Krecklow first visited Ukraine in 2009 with the Shepherd Foundation Sport’s Team. He has since been on every Sport’s Team trip to Ukraine. In 2016, Kyle assumed the leadership role for the Sport’s Team and began to serve on the Camp Maximum Board. Most recently, in 2019, Kyle also began to serve on the Shepherd’s Foundation Board.
Kyle has a background in Business and has worked in New Home Construction Real Estate for the past 16 years. He also serves as a volunteer assistant basketball coach at his alma mater, the University of Northwestern – St. Paul.
In his free time, Kyle enjoys playing sports, spending time outdoors, and traveling. He currently resides in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.
Barbara Wicklander has been Shepherd Foundation’s Administrator since 2011. She came to us with 15 years’ experience in non-profit administration and a heart for Ukraine ministries. She enjoys being part of a team that is passionate about their vision and mission and is excited about what is happening at Camp Maximum and other ministries in Ukraine.
Barb has two grown children and four grandchildren along with horses, dogs, and a cat. When Barb is not working hard at Shepherd’s you can find her in the barn with her horses.
Lowell Becker MD, has been active with Shepherd’s Foundation since his first trip to Ukraine in 1994. Since then he has returned over 35 times. Lowell has been on Shepherd’s board since the late 1990’s and chaired the board for over 10 years.
Lowell was trained in pediatrics and allergy and is now semi-retired from over 40 years medical practice in Cambridge, MN. He has enjoyed involvement in numerous other non-profit organizations as both a board member and president of both his medical group and medical center.
Lowell lives with his wife of over 50 years, Jennie, and has two children and four grandchildren. He enjoys golf, photography, fishing, and playing with grandkids (not necessarily in that order).
