"This pair of epaulettes that my father used is one of the few personal objects he left behind. When I see them, I think of my father and the precious spiritual wealth he has left us with his words and deeds. Recently, in the Xihuamen community of Pingshan Township, Yangzhou City, Zhang Hong, a resident of Vanke Garden, came to the community with carefully preserved epaulettes and other items, told the story of his father behind the epaulettes, and gave a vivid "micro-party lesson" to the community party members.
Father: After retiring, he integrated into the community and dedicated his remaining heat
Zhang Hong's father, Zhang Wanlin, who once lived in Qujiang Subdistrict, is a "celebrity" in the Shanan community, and after his death in 2014 at the age of 99, he completed the body donation, making him the oldest body donor in Yangzhou.
Zhang Hong introduced that her father joined the New Fourth Army in his hometown of Rugao in 1940 and participated in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the War of Liberation, and the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea. The preserved epaulettes are old items from military uniforms when they were awarded titles after the founding of New China. Judging from the characteristics of the epaulettes, it should be the rank of lieutenant, which is a testimony to the glorious years. After returning to China after the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, Zhang Wanlin went to the northeast with his troops to develop the Northern Wilderness, and served as the director of the Forestry Bureau of Shuangyashan, and settled in Yangzhou after his retirement.
Zhang Wanlin could not stay idle after leaving. Zhang Hong introduced that after his father settled in Yangzhou, he was managed by the Guangling District Old Cadre Bureau, and he took the initiative to find the relevant person in charge of the Old Cadre Bureau, hoping to do something for the society. As a result, he joined the Guangling District Customs Work Committee, often going to government agencies, schools, and communities to tell red stories, carry out traditional education, and make more than 200 reports.
Zhang Wanlin is also actively integrated into the community. He saw that some elderly people in the community were more idle, so he contacted the community to set up a study group at home and led everyone to read books and newspapers. In order to provide convenience for residents, Zhang Wanlin also set up a "blackboard newspaper" on the wall of the community, updating the weather forecast and publicity content every day. More than 30 years ago, when information was not developed, people went out to wear what clothes, bring or not bring rain gear, look at the blackboard newspaper to know. In order to enrich the amateur cultural life of residents, Zhang Wanlin and his wife from the literary and art soldiers also brought out a literary and art propaganda team of more than 100 people in the community, organizing everyone to sing and dance, and the performance costumes and props of the propaganda team were purchased by themselves. He has also purchased thousands of books for children in the community.
"My father selflessly dedicated himself to society before he died, never thinking about himself. After his death, he also donated his body and set an example for us with his words and deeds. Zhang Hong said that when she saw her father's epaulettes, she would think of her father's high wind and bright festival, and also encourage herself to follow her father's footsteps, shoulder the responsibility and mission of a party member, and serve people wholeheartedly.
Son: Serve the community by following the example of your father
Under the influence of her father, Zhang Hong is not afraid of hardship and dares to take responsibility. Because his parents were busy at work, Zhang Hong and her brother grew up with their grandmother in Zhejiang, and he joined the army as a soldier at the age of 16. In order to exercise himself, he did not choose the city where his parents were after becoming a soldier, but went to Zhenbao Island, where he was stationed for 5 years.
The longest period of Zhang Hong's time with her father was after her father left. Her father often went out to make reports, and also set up a study group at home, Zhang Hong went to help her father sort out materials, cut and paste newspapers as soon as she had time, and also developed a good habit of loving learning and collecting newspapers. When he lived in Liuhu Lake, he took his father as an example, and with the support of the community, he set up a newspaper reading column in the community, and changed the "Yangzhou Daily" and "Yangzhou Evening News" published on the same day every day; he also used his own newspaper materials to open theme exhibitions in the community to publicize the achievements of the country's reform and opening up and publicize the changes in Yangzhou over the years of "4.18". Because of their love of reading and learning, Zhang Hong's family was once rated as the home of books in Yangzhou.
Zhang Hong is also a senior volunteer in the community. As long as the community needs, whether it is to help copy information, or civilized duty, he actively participates, where it is needed, not afraid of suffering, not afraid of dirty, not afraid of tired. Zhang Hong has also been a volunteer inspector of community Internet cafes for many years, starting at 4 p.m. every day, together with several enthusiastic volunteers, visiting Internet cafes one by one to ensure that Internet cafes are healthy and civilized.
Now that Zhang Hong is 67 years old, he is still as old as his father. This year is the 100th anniversary of the founding of the party, as a veteran party member who has been in the party for 45 years, he has written a number of articles recalling his father and recalling his military career, communicating within the general party branch of xihuamen community, and he also took the podium of the community micro-party class to tell the story of his father and his two generations relaying the old and serving the people.
"My father dedicated his life to the people and gave us an example, and as a party member, I will also fight for communism all my life like my father." Zhang Hong said that whenever she saw the epaulettes left by her father, she would inspire a kind of strength in her heart, which was a precious spiritual wealth that could not be used inexhaustible for a lifetime.
Source: Yangzhou Evening News