‘I am definitely proud to be Ukrainian’: Lincoln salon owner supports dad’s efforts to feed hungry

Businesswoman in Lincoln does what she can to help her father feed hundreds in Ukraine

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Elina “Ella” Solodovnik spent most of her life in Ukraine.

She was born just weeks before Ukraine gained its independence.

She came to the United States when she was 21 and now owns a salon right here in Lincoln.

Her mother came to visit so she could be with Elina’s sister as she gave birth, but her flight home was canceled when Russia declared war on Ukraine.

Solodovnik’s father, grandparents and friends remain in Ukraine.

“I definitely feel like it’s a nightmare, and you’re trying to wake up and you can’t,” she said.

Her father is a pastor and is working around the clock to help people coming to his church in need of food, supplies and shelter.

“My dad has, I would say, like, a little semi truck, so they put kilograms and kilograms and kilograms of food,” Solodovnik said. “So they bring this food to the local churches and all around.”

Solodovnik said her father and those helping him are “risking their life” as they travel to cities and villages to distribute food.

“A lot of sacrificing is what I see, a lot of sacrificing,” she said.

Even though she is fearful, she is overflowing with pride.

“I’m so proud of him. I’m so proud of not only him. A lot of people decided to run, which is totally understandable, but a lot of people they stay in Ukraine and men fighting for the country and women who stay, they do everything they can, too.” Solodovnik said. “I am definitely proud to be Ukrainian and proud to know so much wonderful people who are standing for Ukraine’s freedom.”

Solodovnik has been doing all she can to send her father money to help feed people.

She heard one story about starving children that broke her heart.

“A local pastor in a little village find a family with 10 kids, and they don’t eat for 10 days. So when they find this family, he get home and he grabbed every food, everything they had to bring to the family, and when he came back, kids were standing on their knees,” Solodovnik said.

She said prayer means so much to her, and the Ukrainian people.

“Every day, something new and horrible happening, and yeah, we are definitely very devastated and completely numb,” Solodovnik said. “Of course, we have a hope that God will provide and we will able to be free country again, but for right now, we definitely keep praying every day for peace in our country.”

Even though this is a very difficult time, Solodovnik has such a strong and positive hope for the future.

“Now all the world can see how amazing Ukrainian men and women and how brave they are,” she said. “They are going to stand for their country, for their freedom until their last breath.”

“We’re going to rebuild this beautiful country, and all the people who right now in Poland and Germany will come back home,” Solodovnik said. “I want to see my family. I want to see my dad, and my brother and my mom, and definitely, this is what is in my mind right now: to hug them again.”

If you would like to help Solodovnik send money to feed those in Ukraine, you can visit her salon in Lincoln called Solo Elite Studio. It’s right off of 48th Street and Highway 2.

If you can’t give money, Solodovnik said prayer means so much.

“When people tell me, ‘I pray for you,’ it means so much for me, it means so much for Ukrainian people because they need so much praise right now,” she said.