See translation below.
Thanks to a new researcher and friend, Jeremy Grant, we have finally been able to translate this document:
WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS!
>From Our Finance Secretary.
With heads held high we stand today and contemplate the fine, great
and sturdy building, which we have all helped to construct in the course
of the 30 years since the noble society, the "First Volochisker Benevolent
Association" was founded. There's not enough space in this whole journal
to contemplate fully the 30 years hard work it took to build up the society.
I just want to point out a few facts and very important events from the
past 30 years. The progress which we have made is really beyond description.
Many
longer-established benevolent societies would have wished for themselves
such rapid expansion as we have seen. True, the labour was tough, and all
the ... brothers and officers have given a great deal of time and all their
energy to make the society as fine and healthy as possible. But "work makes
life sweet", and for this reason every one of us holds the society in great
affection.
This year it was resolved to purchase another piece of land in the Montefiore
Cemetery, and we are proud to announce that we managed to make a deposit
of $7,400, and we still have a tidy capital left in the savings bank. In
1936 a decision was taken, with the support of all the members, to raise
the subscription-fee from $4 to $5 a quarter, that the society might be
better able to meet all its responsibilities to every single member of
the extended family. Moving our meeting room from down-town to the beautiful
... Temple is one of
the most important events in the history of the First Volochisker,
and coming together for a meeting in such a beautiful temple, well, that
speaks for itself!
In 1934, the outing on September 12th to consecrate the new cemetery
was such a moral and financial success that everyone who gathered was very
enthusiastic about the whole enterprise. And now to finish off this year's
work, it was resolved to erect a monument in the new cemetery. This monument
will be one of the most beautiful monuments, and we shall be able
to associate the name of our beloved society with it for many generations
to come. We all pride ourselves in the fact that our work has always been
crowned with success.
And now we prepare to celebrate our 30 year jubilee with a banquet.
Our hearts are full of joy, and we hope that the work of the First Volochisker
will continue. It is my hope that that we shall all be together with our
families to celebrate the 50th jubilee in the best style, and that joy
and happiness will ever remain among our families.
Yours, Sam Trugman
(Samuel Trugman, grandfather of Helen May emigrated from Volochisk in December 1909 and arrived in the United States on January 16, 1910)