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Sunday concert to benefit Ukrainian refugees By Morgan Rothborne Updated: Oct 11, 2022 03:08 PM A A Ukraine sunflowers [123rf.com] Uniting for Ukraine, a grassroots charity organized by Ashland psychologist Scott Bandoroff, is holding a benefit concert and silent auction Oct. 16 to continue bringing Ukrainian refugees into the Rogue Valley. Uniting for Ukraine already has brought four refugee families into the valley, soon to be six — two more were expected to fly in Thursday. Every family requires thousands of dollars in airfare, he explained, and a flurry of paperwork for the State Department, driver’s licenses, work permits and to get kids into school. The benefit concert will help raise money for all of those needs, Bandoroff said. The Sunday concert and silent auction will be from 2 to 7 p.m. at Bandoroff’s synagogue, Havurah Shir Hadash, 185 N. Mountain Ave., Ashland — in the garden if the weather holds, indoors if autumn rains begin. All food and beverages from soda to wine are for sale to benefit Uniting for Ukraine’s work, he said. The Danielle Kelly Soul Project will start the evening with Motown, contemporary soul and other retro-style dance music, followed by classic bluegrass music from 33 String Drive. Malinka, a seven-piece band, will play global music, and nine-piece band Alquimistas will play Brazilian rock and samba to close out the night, according to the United for Ukraine website. Bandoroff has done charitable work before, flying into the Standing Rock protests and the aftermath of a couple of hurricanes to offer his help as a trained psychologist. But this is his first time organizing a charity, and he’s careful not to make it sound too buttoned-up. “I’m doing this mostly out of my back pocket. I don’t mean financially, more like by the seat of my pants,” he said. Uniting for Ukraine was quickly built up to meet an immediate need; it isn’t a registered nonprofit — not yet. For now, his Ashland synagogue will use its charity status to take monetary donations and provide the venue for the charity concert. Bandoroff credited his faith as the raison d’etre for this project. “It really comes down to being Jewish — it’s in my blood. So many people suffered similar kinds of abuses at the hands of the Russians and others. I felt like I wanted to do something more than feel bad and give money,” he said. Sunday’s event also will feature a raffle with wine tasting for a party of 10 as the grand prize, alongside a silent auction with items such as packages for mountain biking or beach vacations. Those interested in helping but can’t make it to the benefit can buy raffle tickets or bid in the silent auction online. To purchase tickets or find more information about the benefit concert, or Uniting for Ukraine, see unitingforukrainerv.org/events Reach Mail Tribune reporter Morgan Rothborne at [email protected] or 541-776-4487. Follow her on Twitter @MRothborne.