The "tall and majestic trees" of the seaside town.

Not only are they the "keepers of the flame" in each family, the elderly in Sam Son ward are also always exemplary and responsible in community life. With their prestige, experience, and spirit of living happily, healthily, and usefully, they have become "pillars of strength" in the residential area, contributing to preserving cultural traditions, fostering neighborly relations, and spreading many positive values ​​in society.

The ornamental plant cultivation model of Mr. Le Dinh Dung's family in Hung Thong residential area, Sam Son ward, has yielded high economic efficiency.

Enthusiastic, energetic, and friendly—that was my first impression when I met and spoke with Mr. Le Dinh Dung in Hung Thong residential area. When people in the neighborhood mention him, they all speak highly of him, as he is a happy family whose children have stable lives and whose grandchildren are well-behaved and excel in their studies.

According to Mr. Dung, family values ​​are the "roots" upon which each family can build a prosperous and happy life. Therefore, grandparents and parents must always be shining examples of "matching words with actions," while also living harmoniously, closely, and cordially with everyone around them. Besides teaching children to study well, parents also need to educate them to respect elders, be considerate of younger generations, and be filial to their grandparents and parents. Because when a family is harmonious and warm, everyone is more connected, knows how to share joys and sorrows with each other, and encourages each other to strive together.

Besides preserving his family's traditions, Mr. Dung is also actively developing his economy. After many years dedicated to the profession of planting trees, with accumulated capital and loans from relatives, in 2020 he boldly expanded the area for planting ornamental and fruit trees. With diligence and hard work, he always proactively seeks out and learns, boldly applying scientific and technical advancements to farming, thanks to which his family's economy is increasingly developing. On an area of ​​nearly 2,500 square meters, his family grows many types of ornamental and fruit trees and supplies them to markets inside and outside the province. In addition, his family also sells various supplies for planting. On average, after deducting expenses, the profit is about 200 million VND per year. His family's economic model not only brings high economic efficiency but also creates regular jobs for 2 local workers with an income of about 6 million VND/person/month.

Mr. Dung is one of many exemplary figures in economic development in the ward. Mr. Pham Gia At, Chairman of the Sam Son Ward Senior Citizens Association, said: "The ward currently has 10,120 senior citizens, accounting for approximately 10.32% of the population. Following the guidance of the local Party committee, government, and the higher-level Senior Citizens Association, the ward's Senior Citizens Association has proactively developed plans and concretized the contents of the 'Senior Citizens - Shining Examples' movement in each field, tailored to the local situation. As a result, the movement is increasingly widespread, creating a vibrant atmosphere of competition among senior citizen officials and members throughout the ward."

Notably, many elderly members have actively contributed their wisdom, experience, and resources to the "Elderly - Shining Examples" emulation movement, excelling in economic activities and contributing to improving living standards, alleviating poverty, and achieving legitimate wealth. Currently, the ward has nearly 3,000 elderly people, accounting for 30% of the total elderly population directly involved in production and labor, including 129 members who have achieved the title of "Excellent Economic Entrepreneur" at various levels. The economic development of the elderly not only increases family income but also creates regular employment for many local workers, contributing to the promotion of the emulation movement for excellent production and business among the people.

Besides economic development, the Elderly Association of Sam Son Ward actively participates in Party and government building and local movements. Many members of the Elderly Association participate in Party work and hold positions in the ward's Fatherland Front committees and other organizations. Through their exemplary conduct, sense of responsibility, and personal experience, the elderly in Sam Son Ward have made many heartfelt contributions to the socio-economic development of the locality. In residential areas, the elderly also play an important role in fostering community spirit, effectively mediating disputes at the grassroots level, actively propagating and mobilizing the people to prevent and combat crime and social evils, contributing to maintaining security and order in the area. In addition, the Elderly Association of Sam Son Ward always pays attention to and improves the quality of activities of intergenerational clubs. Currently, the entire ward has 23 intergenerational clubs with a total managed capital of nearly 2 billion VND. Through the club's activities, many members have been able to borrow capital to develop production and business, contributing to improving and raising their living standards.

Besides caring for the material well-being of the elderly, the ward's Elderly Association also focuses on promoting cultural, artistic, and sports activities. To date, the ward has 29 cultural, artistic, and sports clubs attracting 1,157 participants. These are beneficial recreational activities that contribute to improving health and mental well-being, while also strengthening community bonds.

The simple yet meaningful actions of the elderly in Sam Son ward have been spreading many positive things in life. Not only are they a strong pillar of support in each family, these "pillars of strength" also contribute to strengthening unity, fostering neighborly bonds, and working together to build a more civilized, prosperous, and beautiful homeland.

Text and photos: Trung Hieu

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/nhung-cay-cao-bong-ca-noi-pho-bien-289344.htm