The military-patriotic club 'Gvardiya' was solemnly opened in Vitebsk
The military-patriotic club, which will closely cooperate with the local military unit, was established at Vitebsk Secondary School No. 45 named after Vasily Margelov. Its students call themselves "Margelovites" and are proud of this connection with the legendary founding father of the Airborne Forces. By the way, it was he who achieved the introduction of the distinctive sign of all paratroopers – the blue beret.
One of the founders of the project, Oleg Yurman, shared his emotions:
— Today is a landmark day, what we have been striving for for years has come true! Joy, enthusiasm, and the desire to move mountains fill us. Our club is a long-standing idea, a joint one with the 103rd brigade. It is symbolic that it was realized shortly before the Great Victory Day.
The military-patriotic club "Gvardiya" grew out of the interest group "Young Army Soldiers." For the third year, it has been willingly attended by students from the fourth to the tenth grades. A total of one hundred people, and not only boys but also girls. There are also young people who hope to dedicate their future lives to military service. Oleg Yurman has been the head of the pre-conscription training center at School No. 45 for three years. And his close cooperation in military-patriotic education of youth with the Vitebsk Airborne Brigade has been going on for 25 years. Moreover, it was from this unit that Oleg Nikolaevich's own army career began. The retired lieutenant colonel is not the only officer who teaches how to truly love the Motherland. Together with him, two captains conduct classes for the children at Secondary School No. 45. These are Sergey Sobolevsky, who also stood at the origins of the club's creation, and Dmitry Medvedev. The latter is the one who headed the new military-patriotic formation.
The specially tailored uniforms and blue berets suit the guys from the "Guard" well. Tenth-grader Elizaveta Beresten carefully adjusts a camouflage-colored sleeve:
— This is my third year in "Young Army Cadets," and I never cease to be amazed at how interesting and useful it is there. And, of course, I also surprise my friends, especially the guys, not only with drill training but also with the fact that I can easily disassemble and assemble a rifle, and load a magazine with cartridges... A kilometer forced march in three minutes is also quite realistic. Thanks to the club now for the excellent physical training!
Liza is 16 years old, the perfect age to seriously consider her future. She admits that it was after these military-patriotic activities that she became passionate about a profession related to some law enforcement agency. The girl continues:
— Over these three years, we have become stronger, faster, more resilient, and more confident. Lessons in patriotism and courage went hand in hand with etiquette classes, fascinating tourist routes, and trips. The most memorable for me was last May 9th. We met the holiday on the square of the same name in Minsk. The Victory Parade in the capital, which you were lucky enough to see in person, what could be better? It's definitely a hundred out of a hundred!
The schoolgirl's father, Alexander Vladimirovich, fully supports his active and determined daughter:
— Why do we need military-patriotic clubs? To give our daughters and sons the right guidelines from childhood. To teach them to distinguish black from white, truth from a rewritten forgery, and real heroes from those who did not shy away from "SS" patches. For us personally, patriotism, respect for the feat of our ancestors who fought bravely against fascism, is a family matter. Liza's great-grandfather and my grandfather Grigory Mefodyevich Pylsky went through the entire war on the front lines. He had two combat wounds and as many orders: the Order of the Red Star and the Order of the Patriotic War, I degree. And my great-grandmother Ekaterina Demidovna Pavlovskaya was shot by the Germans at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. As the chairman of the "Novaya Zhizn" collective farm, she flatly refused to cooperate with the enemy and helped the partisans as much as she could. Her name is immortalized on a separate plaque on the Alley of Glory in Shumilino...
The commander of the 103rd brigade, Guards Colonel Vladimir Safonov, presented Oleg Yurman with the club's flag. It is in the recognizable green and blue colors of the Airborne Forces, with the insignia of the renowned Vitebsk formation and the inscription "Gvardiya" (Guard). At the finale of the event, all guests were given a tour of an exhibition of uniform samples, weapons, and military equipment. Those who wished could enjoy the signature soldier's porridge. The brigade's military band presented a drill performance to the audience, and the vocal-instrumental ensemble "103 Region" performed its vibrant musical program.