Shagdat Khismatovna Khabibulina, or how she is called in Hesed Natan - Shurochka, to be more exact our Shurochka, is a volunteer, a hairdresser. She is one of the first volunteers.

In August of 2002, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kazakhstan’s Heseds, Alexander Baron, signed an order on opening Hesed Natan in Kokshetau. Already in October, Shurochka was servicing our community members - clients and children. I told Shagdat Khismatovna that Volunteer should serve only clients but she would always answere, "Why? It is not difficult for me".

The whole city knows her, she is a well-known professional. But she does not use her skills of creating complex hairdos in Hesed because she does not want to compete with her colleagues. In the city she has a large clientele. Even those who came by chance stay with her for a long time.

Hesed Natan is the second home for Shurochka. Besides her volunteer responsibilities she actively participates in all events. Clients, who are not able to visit Hesed, wait for 25-28 dates of each month because Shurochka visits them at homes on these dates. We are confident that people will be saying words of gratitude to her for a long time to come.

She loves her profession. Shurochka got the skills by learning from a well-known hairdresser Grigoriy Rabinovich in Minsk. Grisha has been living in Israel for many years already. He was so glad when I called him in Israel and reminded of Shurochka. He never forgot her. In a few minutes he was calling Shurochka in Kazakhstan.

What a wonderful personality our Shurochka is! She is very kind, sincere, sympathetic, and understanding. We are looking at this person and admire that she could preserve these qualities through her life, although it was not an easy life. She also taught her daughter Lilia the same qualities. Lilia resembles her mother in appearance and in soul.

Volunteers. Those who received their help remember them and grateful to them. Volunteers are selfless, kind people. Despite of personal problems and lack of time they do help other people. People gain faith that not everything is done for money. Volunteering is a job. No money is paid; years are not counted as a seniority time record (unfortunately). However, it could be included in the work record card. Think about it!

Of course during all these years we should have written earlier about Shagdat Khismatovna, but this is our tradition to write on the eve of a jubilee.

Our dear Shagdat Khismatovna, the Jewish Community and Hesed Natan congratulate you on your birthday! Please accept our sincere words of gratitude, respect, and love! We wish you happiness! Long and happy life to you and your family!

Anatoliy Itkin