Belarus has a special attitude to 9 May. During the Great Patriotic War, Belarus lost every third resident. The war affected all families without exception. Grandfather, great-grandmother, a cousin or a neighbor from across the street… We remember everyone who perished in a whirlwind of the tragic years. We remember and we grieve. We do our best for those who survived against all odds.
Time waits for no man. Years fly by, and war veterans are passing aways. According to statistics, just over 3,300 are alive in Belarus today, 1,200 of whom took part in battles or were part of partisan units. Each veteran deserves our attention and deepest respect! It is important that the desire to do something good for these people is not coerced but comes from the bottom of our hearts.
Dana Astra has been working in Belarus for many years and has always been committed to corporate social responsibility. It is not surprising that the developer, who is transforming the face of modern Minsk, decided to wish Happy Victory Day to the veterans. Our specific deeds today are a tribute to the veterans for their heroism during the war, Dana Astra believes.
“9 May is a special holiday in Belarus. It is both bright and sad. We remember the feat of arms of the fallen, and we honor all those who passed the terrible ordeal and survived. Our company extends the most sincere greetings to war veterans on Victory Day. We remember your deeds and are deeply thankful for ensuring Belarus' present,” Dana Astra Director Pavel Ovcharov stressed.
Pavel Ovcharov and his colleagues paid a visit to one of veterans – Nadezhda Klimenkova from Minsk. They did not come empty-handed, giving the association a large TV set from the leading Belarusian manufacturer.
The representatives of Dana Astra were not the only ones to visit Nadezhda Klimenkova. Her former colleagues from the Minsk branch of Belarusian Railways where she worked for many years visit the veteran at least twice a year: to wish her a happy birthday in October and to extend Victory Day greetings ahead of 9 May. Nadezhda Klimenkova is the only living participant of the war that worked at the organization, deputy head of the enterprise Sergei Grishel and chairman of the trade union Adalyat Seifullayev said.
Nadezhda Klimenkova was born near Russia's Smolensk in 1928. During the war, she worked at a military plant in Moscow Oblast. Now she lives alone and does almost everything by herself or with her nephew's help. She was very happy to receive the guests!
“Such visits bring me so much joy! It is great that the youth remember us. More and more veterans pass away. I do not want people to forget everything after we are gone – you should not let that happen. The war was a horrible tragedy. So many people were killed! A lot of time has passed since the war, generations have changed, but we should preserve the memory of the war in order not to let it happen again,” Nadezhda Klimenkova believes.
Representatives of the company also gifted a TV set to the Belarusian Public Association of Veterans. The guests met with Ivan Gordeichik and Yuri Lutsyk, the chairman and first deputy chairman of the association.
“Thank you for what you are doing,” Ivan Gordeichik told the representatives of Dana Astra. “Veterans are always sincerely happy that people do not forget about them and take care of them. More and more participants of the war pass away, which is tragic. There remain just above 3,300 veterans in Belarus. I promise you that we will tell every one of them about your visit to our organization. Thank You!” he added.
In turn, Pavel Ovcharov told heads of the veteran association about a promo campaign that had been timed to the festive day.
Certainly, the real estate developer understands that very few veterans of the Great Patriotic War can deal with buying an apartment today, this is why it stipulated that the promo also covers members of their families! The proposal immediately met interest on the part of representatives of the veteran association.
Ivan Gordeichik believes: “You understand, most of the veterans have proper homes. But there are children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. If the promo applies to families of the veterans, I will think about grabbing the opportunity myself. Because, frankly speaking, it is a bit inconvenient for six people to live in a two-bedroom apartment. And there are plenty of veterans like that. I am convinced that people need your promo a lot.”
Dana Astra Company believes that it is definitely important to thank the war veterans. But it is even more important to take concrete steps to make veterans' lives a bit more pleasant, a bit more comfortable and interesting. A new apartment one can leave to children and grandchildren may be the most tangible legacy. Of course, after the key behest – love your country sincerely and genuinely.
And we definitely will not forget it!
