Back to LA Chapter News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 6, 2008 |
CONTACT:
Peter Abajian
(310) 400-9061
|
PHILADELPHIA BASED SOCIETY FOR ARMENIAN ORPHANED RELIEF ESTABLISHES LOS ANGELES CHAPTER (SOAR-LA)
Local Board Raises Awareness of Orphanage Needs and Unveils Goals at
First Successful Event
Glendale, CA-On Saturday, February 9, more than 50 people, including family and friends, gathered at the home of SOAR-LA Vice-Chair Annet Arakelian to officially celebrate and launch the Los Angeles Chapter of the Society for Armenian Orphaned Relief (SOAR-LA), as well as learn more about SOAR-LA.
"On behalf of the Board of Directors, please allow me to thank all of you for your support and enthusiasm this evening," said Peter Abajian, SOAR-LA Chair. "Working together we hope to be able to provide needed supplies to the children in Armenia's orphanages."
Abajian along with Board Members Kevin Avetikyan and Manushak Amzoyan presented a short video regarding SOAR's involvement with Armenia's orphanages and discussed a new project SOAR-LA is considering to sponsor. This project would entail the construction of a residential group home on the grounds of the Kharpert Orphanage to provide semi-independent living opportunities for the adults with mental and/or physical disabilities when they are too old to live in the orphanage.
SOAR-LA Board Secretary Kohar Mardiros Pelter took the initiative to help establish the Los Angeles Chapter. "My father, Mardiros Mardiossian, ended up in an orphanage following the Armenian Genocide. My personal involvement in helping establish SOAR-LA is in his honor and I am hopeful that together we will make a difference in the lives of some of the children living in orphanages in Armenia today."
SOAR-LA is actively looking for partners (individuals and organizations) to work with on the group home project as well as collecting new humanitarian supplies to send to Armenia. For more information and to get involved, please visit the SOAR website at www.soar-us.org.
Established in 2006 in Philadelphia, SOAR has provided much needed humanitarian assistance to 14 orphanages throughout Armenia. SOAR collects and distributes new clothing, shoes, school supplies, diapers and other humanitarian supplies from individuals and corporations in the United States and delivers them through the UAF and its trusted network of partners in Armenia. Financial contributions are used to purchase and distribute needed supplies locally in Armenia.
###
