Solutions to win: 61-year-old volunteer walks from Latvia to Vinnytsia, raising nearly €10,000 for Ukraine's military

11.07.2026, 16:04 rubryka.com

Stonis set off on May 8. Along the way, he endured extreme heat, heavy rain, and nights spent sleeping outdoors. He also had to spend several days in a hospital in Kovel. Despite these challenges, he completed the entire planned route and reached Vinnytsia.

The volunteer said he had initially expected the journey to take much longer, but managed to complete it in 52 days.

"I have a close Ukrainian friend. He calls me a 'crazy Latvian pensioner.' I think that's what people on the road thought too. I prepared for it: I trained, and doctors checked me. I thought it would take 70 or even 80 days. I even spent four days in a hospital in Kovel, and people in Lutsk also helped me. So it turned out to be about two months, but I walked for 52 days," he said.

The idea for the charity campaign came to him in winter. While speaking with Ukrainian soldiers, Aigars learned about the need for a mobile dental clinic that could operate near the front line and provide assistance not only to service members but also to civilians in frontline communities.

The final destination of his route was Vinnytsia. There, the volunteer was welcomed by soldiers, veterans, charity workers, and local residents who had followed his journey on social media. The project's partner is the Podil Community Foundation, which is helping organize the fundraising campaign.

During the journey, Aigars raised nearly €10,000.

According to Olena Danilova, head of the foundation, the total cost of the dental clinic is €50,000. Most of the required amount has already been secured, while the Latvian volunteer's contribution will be used to purchase and install the necessary equipment before the clinic is sent to the front line.

Explaining why he decided to support Ukraine, the Latvian volunteer recalled his family's history.

"In 1947, Russians killed my grandfather because he loved Latvia. I have been against them for as long as I can remember, and I will help for as long as I am needed. It is not easy at 61 — health matters — but I have friends who help me," he emphasized.

When he told his family about his planned walk, his eldest son worried that his father might not be able to complete the journey. The volunteer responded: "I will know what I am walking for."

Stonis plans to stay in Ukraine until August. According to him, he hopes to visit Ukrainian soldiers on the front line soon, but he is not disclosing the destination for security reasons.

As Rubryka reported, 24-year-old Liam Visser from Groningen, the Netherlands, completed a cycling journey of nearly 1,600 kilometers from his hometown to Lviv. The goal of the trip was to raise funds for a summer camp for teenagers from Ukraine, including children from the "Ridni Community."

Also, 44-year-old Finnish volunteer Markus Mattsson began a cycling journey from Helsinki to Kyiv on July 8. It took him nearly a month to reach the Ukrainian capital. During this time, he raised more than €10,000 for tactical medicine supplies for Ukrainian service members.

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