Lyndora Hotel owners Mike Pawk and his sister, Laura Pawk-Santora, hold up an old family picture with their Ukrainian great-grandparents, Michael and Anna Markiw; grandfather; father; and other family. The Markiws immigrated to Butler from the Ukraine and ran a grocery store in Lyndora. Mike and Laura's grandparents, took over the Lyndora Hotel in 1947. Seb Foltz/Butler Eagle

If it’s possible for a social media post to go viral on the local level, Mike Pawk, owner of the Lyndora Hotel, has achieved it.

Pawk posted a photo of himself on the sidewalk in front of the iconic Butler eatery and tavern holding an open, upside-down bottle of Russian-made vodka in each hand.

The clear alcohol freely spilled to the concrete above the words “Our Ukrainian grandparents bought the Lyndora Hotel in 1947. We will no longer serve Russian-made spirits. Our hearts break for the Ukrainian people. We stand with Ukraine,” as Pawk stares down the camera in defiance.

The post made its rounds on Instagram, Facebook and other social media platforms, having been shared on Facebook 2,800 times as of Monday evening.

“I was surprised,” Pawk said of the swift dissemination of the post, “but I think the reason it is spreading is that people feel the same way I do. They want to be united with Ukraine.”

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