By Kohar Avakian
LAS VEGAS (A.W.)—At the start of the year, Maral Saccoyan had no idea how important the mission of her new show—“This is Vegas”— would prove to be months later.
Maral Saccoyan
A Las Vegas local and an active member of the city’s Armenian community, Maral wished to show the public that Las Vegas is more than the glitz and glamour of the strip, by showcasing the stories of locals like herself in a documentary-style talkshow series.
On Oct. 1, the mission of her show took on a whole new meaning and her commitment to the Vegas community deepened as a result of the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting at Mandalay Bay.
In response to the tragedy, thousands of locals lined the streets in support of the victims and their families. This was the Vegas that Maral hoped to capture in her new series. “For as long as I can remember, there has always been a misconception from outsiders that Vegas does not really have a sense of community. As locals, we know this is not the case. We live in a special city that recently experienced a horrific incident. Everyone united and pulled together as expected,” Maral said. She also stressed that the mission cannot and will not end there.
In the spirit of the Las Vegas community, on Nov. 18, “This is Vegas” will be hosting a Meet & Mingle fundraising event consisting of music, wine, appetizers, and a raffle at Armount TV (3225 S Rainbow Blvd Suite 206, Las Vegas, Nev.), the first all-day Armenian language network in Las Vegas, owned and operated by Arman and Gayane Adamyan. Raffle tickets will be sold at the door, and a minimum of one raffle ticket ($5) will be required to attend the fundraiser. All proceeds from the “Meet & Mingle” will go directly to the Route 91 Harvest Festival victims.
“Countless local organizations have been raising money here in Las Vegas on a daily basis for the victims. This is just our small way of bringing the community together in a positive light,” Maral said. In addition, she hopes to further the mission of “This is Vegas” by launching an online crowdfunding campaign to help with production-related costs for future episodes. “Through your support, we can help the local community recover and also let the world know that Vegas is full of stories of survival, courage, and strength that deserve to be heard,” she said.
To learn more about Maral’s crowdfunding campaign, visit https://www.indiegogo.com/project/preview/08a06898. Maral’s YouTube channel is also available here.
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Source: Armenian Weekly
Link: Maral Saccoyan Highlights Life in Vegas, Raises Funds for Victims of Tragedy