PRARIE VILLAGE, Kan. — A wave of support for Ukraine sits high along Tomahawk Road in Prairie Village, Kansas, thanks to one man — Tony Short.
“Every time I heard the Russian military was taking down a flag, I couldn’t wait to get my flag up because I wanted to put up one flag for every flag they took down,” Short said.
However for Short, the blue and yellow colors flying high is a visual stance of support from a small part of Prairie Village which also happens to be a sister city to Dolyna,Ukriane.
“I thought wow, as a city that has a sister city when this was going on, what could we do? And I wanted to see how we could leverage our neighborhood and help over there,” Short said.
Short hung 30 Ukrainian flags along trees in the front yards of neighbors, adding he’s happy they're tapping into his cause.
“One lady, she was almost in tears, she was bawling because she couldn’t figure out what to do," Short said. "She didn’t have a lot, but she thought it was great."
Short originally ordered 120 flags and said 90 more are on the way.
“The concern for me was, wow, I wonder if anybody cares you know? At this time the March Tournament is going on, basketball is going on, COVID is over, people just want to get out and they don’t want to think about bad things, but unfortunately no, it’s there and we have to think about it,” Short said.
In the end, Short says he hopes his display of flags will help show the people of Ukraine that support is nearly everywhere.
“To show those people that there are people here caring," Short said. "Hope, prayer, whatever it is, it adds motivation, I hope for them."
