老兵陈聪河心系桑梓，用大爱回馈社会——
“做公益只有起点，没有终点”
■李恩航
初见陈聪河，他一米七的个头，右侧太阳穴旁有一道明显的伤疤。他指着这道在部队训练时留下的伤疤笑着说：“这是我的军旅‘勋章’。”
退役28年，陈聪河是公司的“领头雁”，带领员工勇闯商海；是家乡的“兵支书”，带领村民振兴乡村；是公益事业的热心人，用实际行动书写退役不褪色的责任担当。他总是说：“我只想做点力所能及的事，当个对社会有用的人。”
陈聪河高中毕业后参军入伍，成为一名装甲兵。刚入伍时，身材瘦小的陈聪河就要背着二三十公斤重的装备训练。“困难躲不掉，只能迎难而上。”秉持这个信念，陈聪河在3年服役期间不仅入了党，还荣立三等功，荣获全军训练标兵、集团军“优秀士兵标兵”等荣誉。
1994年，陈聪河退役回到福建省惠安县屿头山村。惠安县素有“雕艺之乡”和“建筑之乡”的美称。经过一番筹划，陈聪河和8名退役战友组建了一个建筑施工队。施工队成立之初，市场竞争激烈。陈聪河和战友们始终坚持把客户的活当成自家的事来干，诚心诚意为客户着想，不仅保质保量完成任务，而且千方百计为客户省钱。施工队的口碑越来越好，生意越来越红火，两年后就“升级”成一家装修公司。
和战友共同创业的经历，让陈聪河充分感受到军营历练的可贵。他为公司制订了“军人津贴”政策——凡是当过兵的员工，工资待遇提高一档，吸引了上百名退役军人慕名到公司就职。
2003年，陈聪河的公司步入正轨。他却作出一个让大家惊讶的决定——回乡担任村支书。
“我去当兵那年，是乡亲们用拖拉机把我送到县城。”陈聪河说，当时别的村子都用大客车送兵，他们村最好的交通工具就是拖拉机。
“刚开始创业时，我就想过有朝一日能回馈家乡。后来机会来了，为什么不回村去呢？”在村支书岗位上，陈聪河一干就是6年。
In his first year in office, Chen Conghe returned to the village with his hard-working savings, and the first thing he did was to build a road.
While seeking project and financial support from higher-level departments, he paid for himself to improve the village's infrastructure. The dirt roads in the village were widened and rebuilt, and bright street lamps were erected on both sides of the roads.
Roads were built into the hearts of the villagers, and the lights illuminated the villagers' dream of becoming rich.
However, thinking alone is not enough. There is not enough labor in the village and the foundation for industrial development is poor. Chen Conghe organized villagers to set up cooperatives to integrate the scattered farmers and land, and promote the development of agricultural and sideline industries.
Young people in the village lacked skills and went out to work with little income. Chen Conghe contacted vocational schools and cooperated to build a training platform...
"When Secretary Chen came back, he not only built the road, but also brought us a good life." Seeing that the villagers were getting richer and the village's industrial development was on the right track, Chen Conghe withdrew from the "fight", but everyone mentioned the " Secretary Chen", still full of praise.
Leaving Yutou Mountain Village, Chen Conghe came to Quanzhou to open a new company, and every year, a certain percentage of profits are invested in public welfare undertakings.
Chen Conghe said: "I have caught up with the good times, and I drink water without thinking of the source. Where is the source? The source is in society."
In 2018, Chen Conghe accidentally learned that a little boy was suffering from leukemia. He did not receive proper treatment due to the poor financial situation of his family, and finally passed away.
This made Chen Conghe very sad.
Soon after, Chen Conghe invested and led the establishment of the "Huian County Critical Illness Relief and Childhood Leukemia Relief Love Fund", which raised funds for the treatment of critical illnesses and childhood leukemia treatment for vulnerable groups.
So far, the fund has treated more than 10 children with leukemia and serious illnesses.
Every once in a while, Chen Conghe will look through his notebook and schedule to plan the time for the next public welfare activity, which has become a habit of his.
"Doing public welfare has only a starting point and no end point. It is a cause that requires lasting dedication. I hope that more people can join in." Chen Conghe said sincerely.