The beloved late Mr. Rogers passed on some wonderful advice for helping people — especially children — deal with large-scale traumatic events: “Look for the helpers.”

This wisdom certainly can be applied to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, which, as of Thursday, had led to an exodus of more than 1 million refugees from the country, with some of the nation’s most vulnerable seeking safety and shelter in other nations.

But beyond looking for the helpers, we must ask ourselves to become helpers.

And a perfect example of this unfolded at the Michigan Tech campus in Houghton last week, as demonstrations in support of Ukraine took place daily to help raise funds and awareness of the situation.

About 25 people met at noon Tuesday by the husky statue at Michigan Tech, holding signs with phrases such as “Stand With Ukraine,” the Houghton Daily Mining Gazette reported.

Organizers of the Tech protests included husband and wife Nazar Gora and Adelina Oronova, who are Ukrainians and Ph.D. students in chemistry.

Oronova told the Gazette worldwide demonstrations against Russia’s invasion show people believe that kind of aggression is unacceptable in the 21st century.

“People are dying on both sides,” Oronova said. “It is not only military people. It is people that are civilians, women, children and it is very devastating for all of us … everything happening now throughout the world, Ukraine sees it, and they really appreciate what everyone is doing out there.”

Among the protesters was Evgenii Sidorov, a graduate data science student at Tech from Russia. Sidorov carried a sign saying “Stop Russia’s War In Ukraine” and “Stop Putin!”

Just over a week ago, he couldn’t have envisioned Russia invading Ukraine. Now that it’s happening, it’s “our moral duty to stand against this atrocity,” he said.

He urged people to donate to Ukrainian groups, or ask their elected representatives to support increased humanitarian or military aid.

“Nobody’s sending American soldiers on Ukrainian soil, but sending weapons, guns, airplanes — it’s really important to support and help Ukraine at this time,” he said.

Connor Hall, a third-year biochemistry student, has been working with Gora, Oronova and Sidorov since last fall. While he’d like to see more done, showing up in support is what he can control.

“My heart breaks for them and their families and everyone else that’s affected by this today,” he said.

Gora is pleased, and surprised, to see how people have rallied behind his country.

“I didn’t expect the whole world would be standing for Ukraine,” he said. “It’s a historical moment.”

We’re glad to see this outpouring of support for Ukraine in the Upper Peninsula, and hope to see many more follow this example.

We hope that people will consider helping however whether that’s setting up a peaceful, informational demonstration, or finding another way to help, such as donating.

Gora and Oronova’s distributed during the demonstrations a list of several aid funds that support Ukraine, which include:

— The Come Back Alive NGO that helps Ukrainian soldiers: https://savelife.in.ua/en/donate.

— Ukrainian Red Cross: https://redcross.org.ua/en/donate.

— Ukrainian-American Crisis Response Committee of Michigan: https://www.uacrisisresponse.org/donate.

— Razom Emergency Response Fund: https://razomforukraine.org/donate.

— United Help Ukraine, Medical Aid and Humanitarian Relief for Front Lines: https://www.facebook.com/donate/337101825010055.

— Humanitarian Aid to Ukraine (fundraiser by Nova Ukraine): https://www.facebook.com/donate/1137971146948461.