Greater Boston Community Leaders Rally Support for ANCA Telethon 2014

WATERTOWN, Mass.—Greater Boston community leaders and advocates for a strong Armenia and Artsakh (Karabagh) gathered at the home of Garo and Meline Lachinian for a special reception in support of ANCA Telethon 2014, the six-hour salute to Armenian-American civic participation to be broadcast on June 1.

Top (L-R) Ojik Gregorian, Meline Lachinian, Armen Lachinian-Ferrell, Heather Krafian, and Linda Kechechian; Bottom (L-R) Lucy Chalian, Tamar Hamparian, Johanna Chilingirian, and Claudia Antranigian. (Photo by Tamar Kanarian)

“We were pleased to open our home for such a worthwhile cause,” said the Lachinians, following the May 9 reception, which happened to coincide with the 22nd anniversary of Shushi’s liberation. “The ANCA plays a vital role in expanding our collective voice from city hall to the nation’s capital to help build a brighter future for Armenians everywhere.”

George Basharians, Josh Tevekelian, and Raffi Varjabedian (Photo by Tamar Kanarian)

The Lachinians are supporters of the ANCA’s youth development efforts, including the ANCA Leo Sarkisian Summer Internship Program, in which their daughter, Taleen, participated in 2013. Taleen brought her finance background to the program, researching the impact on international affirmation of the Armenian Genocide on trade with Turkey and spotlighting Armenia’s economic growth.

More than 100 community supporters joined the Lachinians for the special evening, which was organized by Tamar Hamparian, Heather Krafian, ANCA Eastern Region Board Member Tamar Kanarian, and ANCA Telethon 2014 Board Member Josh Tevekelian. The reception was one of over a dozen similar events being organized across the U.S. by supporters devoted to expanding the power and reach of the Armenian-American community.

“We would like to thank Garo and Meline and all those who helped make this evening

Taleen Lachinian, Sevan Dulgarian, Anais Kechechian, Christine Bahtiarian, and Lucine Bahtiarian. (Photo by Tamar Kanarian)

dedicated to our common Cause a success,” said Tevekelian. “We have seen unprecedented enthusiasm surrounding ANCA Telethon 2014, due in large part to the growing number of individuals, young and old, who are joining in ANCA efforts to advance core community concerns, from justice for the genocide to support for Armenia, Artsakh, Javakhk, and our beleaguered communities in the Middle East.”

In the days leading up to the event, a diverse group of Boston area community activists lent their voices to a series of video vignettes urging participation in the ANCA Telethon. From veteran ANCA leader Tatul Sonentz Papazian to St. Stephens Armenian Church pastor, Rev. Fr. Antranig Baljian, to AYF Boston “Nejdeh” Chapter member Anto Avedissian, each told of why they are actively supporting ANCA Telethon 2014. To view the videos, visit the ANCA YouTube page at www.anca.org/youtube.

Jano Avedissian, George Basharians, and Raffi Festekjian (Photo by Tamar Kanarian)

The ANCA Endowment Fund supports a broad range of educational, youth, and civic programs that give voice to the views and values of the Armenian-American community, strengthening our presence in the American civic arena, and empowering pro-Armenian stakeholders with the information and resources they need to take on the powerful forces aligned against the Armenian nation. The first three ANCA Endowment Fund telethons, held in 2006, 2009 and 2012, raised over $6.5 million for Armenian-American educational, youth, and civic programs. Each program touched a common emotional chord, speaking directly to the devotion to the Armenian Cause in the hearts of Armenians from across the U.S., regardless of organizational or political affiliations. Countless organizations, volunteers, churches, community leaders, local ANCAs, performing artists, Members of Congress, and state legislators from across the nation participated in these telethons, contributing to their enormous success.

The June 1 ANCA Telethon will be streamed live online at www.ancatelethon.org and broadcast coast to coast from 6 p.m. to 12 midnight EST (3-9 p.m. PST). To find your station, visit www.anca.org/ancatelethon/2014/channel_listing.pdf.