Laguna Woods Village resident Mike Wilson traveled to Krakow, Poland, in early March and wanted to go on to Kyiv, Ukraine, to join local militia groups or find other ways to help repel the Russian invaders.

But at age 71, Wilson was deemed too old for combat; Ukraine caps service age at 60.

He also was told that bus trips to Kyiv were too dangerous and trains were too loaded with supplies going into Ukraine.

“I was disappointed and jetlagged, so I asked God what I could do,” Wilson said in a recent interview at his home.

While many people were still trying to wrap their brains around the sudden and brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine in late February, Wilson had just one thought: “I’m going.”

“Where?” asked his wife, Dionne. When he answered “Ukraine,” she was not surprised.

After all, she said, helping others is second nature for Wilson, a mostly retired continuation school teacher in the Anaheim Union High School District.

Wilson figured he could help war victims, displaced people and their pets — anything he might be asked to do. And though he never served in the military, he had familiarized himself with weapons on firing ranges and had shot for sport.

If nothing else, he said, he could load trucks and clean guns, and if he could shoot a few Russian invaders, all the better.

Near the Krakow train station back in early March, Wilson checked into a cheap hotel – he was traveling on his own dime – and collected his thoughts.

The first thing he had noticed were the masses of refugees at the station, especially the children who, left with nothing, could only cling to their families.

Wilson had brought a few coloring books and boxes of crayons for kids he might encounter on his trip. When he saw two women and a young girl huddled in the cold, he handed the child a coloring book and a few crayons. She smiled while the women were moved to tears.

God had given him his answer, Wilson said.

The next day, Wilson scoured nearby stores for more coloring books and crayons. He bought all he could lay his hands on and distributed them among the refugee children.

Altogether, he spent five days handing out about 250 books, telling the children and their families, “From my heart to yours.”

When his money ran out, he returned home, with a camera full of photographs he took of the kids and their treasures.

Wilson is a 10-year Village resident and member of Mission Viejo/Saddleback Valley Elks Lodge #2424, where he volunteers on bingo night. When he told his fellow Elks and bingo players about his plans to travel to Ukraine, they asked him to give a talk about his mission.

“Mike presented a picture montage, and people loved it,” said Alan Harkness, a spokesman for the lodge. “The Elks are committed to community service, and Mike stepped up with a kind heart, offering the ultimate help to the Ukrainian community.”

When Wilson told them he planned a return trip to Krakow, the Elks lodge and the bingo community raised as much as $3,500 for the trip.

“The Elks are taking care of my plane fare and lodging,” he said.

Some of his other expenses include the cost of coloring books and crayons: $35 will buy 10 sets, he said, adding that friends and family have also helped with his project.

Wilson left for Krakow on Monday, April 11. To help with the costs, he established a GoFundMe account. Go to GoFundMe.com and search for “Mike Wilson Krakow.”