As Americans the thought of war on our homeland or an invasion from a neighboring country is something that rarely crosses our mind. However, as most of the world has seen, the citizens of Ukraine have had no such luck. The Russian military moved swiftly and entered Ukrainian territory almost overnight. This massive military push caused destruction and death in its path. Residents of the Eastern European country were forced to flee to safety in other countries. One such country that is receiving them is Poland.

During these times it’s hard to see any silver lining, we do however occasionally get a glimpse of the humanity some people possess. In this case, David Kirkham stepped up to offer the support that was needed. Kirkham owns Kirkham Motorsports which specializes in building Shelby Cobra replicas. They have two plant locations, one is located in Provo, Utah and the other 100 miles from the Ukrainian border in the town of Mielec, Poland. What makes this plant special is that it once was a MIG fighter jet factory, but was turned into a production line of Shelby Cobras over two decades ago. The plants proximity to the border with Ukraine also makes it the perfect stopping point for refugees looking for supplies or needing any assistance.

When learning that The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Jesuit Charity were looking for a place to store incoming relief supplies, Kirkham gladly opened up his factory doors and halted production of the iconic Shelby Cobra. He informed his staff to remain “on the clock” at full wages when helping, welding, fabricating, transporting, or working with the Church and the Jesuit charity. Kirkham also sent funds to help buy fuel and whatever other supplies Kirkham Motorsports needed to support the evacuation of Ukrainian refugees from the Poland/Ukraine border.

They say you can judge a man by how he treats those who have nothing to offer in return. In the case of a fleeing refugee, they rarely have much to begin with much less any to give away. However, Kirkham isn’t in this for a return, he’s in it because he knows it’s what is needed most at this time.