Angele Manoogian, chair of the kindergarten fundraising committee, connects with crowd about protecting our children
GLENVIEW, Ill.—On May 1, more than 100 members of the Chicago community joined the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) Chicago Zabelle Chapter at the Armenian All Saints Apostolic Church in Glenview, to support the ARS in re-building the Soseh Kindergarten in Stepanakert into a state of the art facility.
Angele Manoogian delivering her address
The Mistress of Ceremonies for the event, Ungerouhi Nairee Hagopian, a member of the Zabelle Chapter executive board, welcomed the crowd and clergy, the Very Reverend Father Ghevont Pentezian of All Saints Armenian Church in Glenview, and acknowledged representatives from the Church Board of Trustees and sister community organizations present. Hagopian set the tone for the event by associating an early celebration of Mother’s Day and the strength and tenacity of Armenian women and mothers with the love that it takes to help children in need. Hagopian affirmed that it is women like Sose Mayrig and Zabel Yesayan that inspire the instinct to protect and preserve our children and future.
(L to R) Very Reverend Ghevont Pentezian, the new Hayr Sourp of the Armenian All Saints Apostolic Church in Glenview Ill.; Nairee Hagopian, Zabelle chapter Executive Board corresponding secretary; Lesa Zakarian, Zabelle chapter Executive Board treasurer; Taleen Aivazian, Zabelle chapter Executive Board recording secretary; and Arpy Seferian, ARS chapter Executive Board chairperson
Ungerouhis Marie Khatcherian and Lucine Tokmakjian opened the program by singing the national anthem of the United States and the ARS anthem. Hayr Pentezian delivered the Invocation.
Before Manoogian’s keynote, attendees were privileged to a short cultural program which included a poem recitation by Areney Tokmajian, written by her grandmother Asdghik Makakian Tokmajian; Haroutiun Kendimian and Lucine Tokmajian performing “Mayrigis” (music by Khatchadour Avedian and words by Silva Gabudigian); and lastly, Hamazkayin Sardarabad Dancers Sevana Papazian, Sose Papazian, and Saro Aroyan performing the dances “Namak Namak” and “Sardarabad.”
Some of the guests
Following a video presentation on the reconstruction project which recalled the disrepair of the original building housing the kindergarten and the ARS Central Executive Board’s decision to embark on this massive plan, Ungerouhi Angele Manoogian impassioned the crowd toward surpassing a $10,000 goal for the Soseh Kindergarten. Manoogian’s own zeal was contagious. She energized generous spirits by declaring, “All of us are forever connected with our beloved Homeland and its people with unbreakable ties. That as Armenians, we have the moral duty to serve Armenia and its children.” She continued, “There can be no doubt whatsoever that Artsakh, with all its liberated territories, is an inseparable part of our Homeland and diaspora and we are forever united with a common destiny.”
Lastly, the evening concluded with the announcement that more than $16,000 had been raised to benefit this most important project.
Source: Armenian Weekly
Link: Chicago ‘Zabelle’ Chapter Surpasses Goal for Mother’s Day Soseh Kindergarten Fundraiser