Pulling on our heart, er, violin strings

Seven-year-old Sofiia loves music. The young girl has been playing violin for a few years, and when her family fled Ukraine last year to build a new life in Colorado, her violin was one of the only things she brought with her.

🎻🇺🇦 A sense of home... When they arrived to America, Sofiia received a grant for three months of free music lessons. 

"The first time we came here, and she was with a new teacher... I started just crying," her mother Eugenia said. "It felt like we're again in a safe place. I just brought my child to classes. Everything is safe."

• The grant soon ran out, however, and Sofia was also quickly outgrowing her beginner's violin. Upon hearing her story, Denver local Troy Behrends set up a fundraiser in hopes of purchasing a new violin and a year's worth of lessons for Sofiia. 

💸❤️ Happy ending: The local community quickly showed up for their new neighbors, raising enough money to buy the items – and then some🥰.