OREANDA-NEWS. OJSC Chelyabinskgorgaz today honours the war and labour veterans and all those who participated in other armed conflicts. The company management and leaders of the trade union organisation, as well as colleagues, all wish their guests of honour a happy Victory Day. 

Amongst the veterans invited to the traditional ceremony was Semyon Nikolayevich Elistratov, from the village of Dolgoderevenskoe. Semyon Elistratov's career, which began on the front-line in Latvia and ended in Koenigsburg, spanned half a century, and involved both war and peace labour. During that time, only the last eleven years were spent working for the operational service of OJSC Chelyabinskgorgaz in Sosnovsky region, but it is no exaggeration to say that the company became a second home to him, as is testified by the fact that his colleagues continue to look after him even now he has retired. Ten years ago, they helped to install a gas system in his house, and in the year before last, they completely renewed his heating system and are maintaining it to this day. His younger associates who participated in armed conflicts helped Semyon Nikolaevich to prepare and travel to the evening of celebrations.

The traditional annual gathering on the eve of Victory Day was held in a relaxed atmosphere, with well-decorated serving tables to help put the elderly participants at their ease. A musical introduction was prepared, to congratulate the guests upon their entrance, and this helped them to forget about their age as they sang and danced.

Unfortunately, each passing year means fewer and fewer tables need to be prepared for the celebratory meal; today, for example, not everybody could attend due to ill health. Nevertheless, every individual received the congratulations of their colleagues and a financial reward - the company's small delegation has already visited all of the ‘heroes of the day'.
The head director of Chelyabinskgorgaz, Andrei Lekanov, said: "Today we can still personally express sincerest thanks to our veterans for their bravery in combat and their extremely hard work, and we must value this. They not only need us to help and look after them, but it is essential that we, their children and their grandchildren, have contact with them, because it is from them that we are able to learn the great traits of courage, steadfastness, patriotism and selfless love for one's native land. We - the children and grandchildren - must prove ourselves worthy to our fathers".