Tweet
PASADENA'S SISTER CITIES PROGRAM AND THE CHILDREN OF VANADZOR
Catherine Yesayan
asbarez
Friday, March 16th, 2012
What better way than to spend the first Sunday of spring, outdoors
under the Southern California sun, and raising funds for a good cause!
Come join us and participate in a walk-a-thon at Pasadena High School
benefiting Vanadzor schools in Armenia.
Pasadena Sister Cities Committee (PSCC), in conjunction with
the Christian Club at Pasadena High School, will hold their third
walk-a-thon Sunday, March 25, from 1:30 to 4 p.m., at the track and
field of Pasadena High School, 2925 East Sierra Madre Boulevard,
Pasadena.
Around five years ago a friend introduced me to the Pasadena Sister
Cities program and since then I've proudly been a part of this
benevolent organization which embodies the American spirit of giving
and reaching out.
Pasadena was one of the first cities in the nation to adopt a
Sister Cities program. President Dwight Eisenhower established the
concept in 1956. The idea was to achieve international peace through
people-to-people interactions. Presently, 1,060 U.S. cities participate
in the Sister Cities program and they have ties to over 1,900 cities
in 120 nations.
Pasadena has five sister cities around the world. Vanadzor
(vah-naht-zor), previously known as Kirovakan, became the fourth in
1991, three years after the 1988 earthquake which destroyed 70% of
the city's buildings. With a population of 175,000, Vanadzor is the
third largest city in Armenia. It is located in Lory, the northwestern
region of the Republic of Armenia, and sits about 80 miles north of
the capital city of Yerevan.
Vanadzor is widely known for its wonderful "Lory" mineral water, clean
running springs, green hills, and snow-capped mountains visible in
all directions. The city is now in the process of rebirth and change.
Owing to its beauty and rich culture, Vanadzor has many descriptive
names: the Beauty of Lory, Sanatorium City, City of Music, and
Masters City.
Helen Kouyoumdjian, chair for the Pasadena/Vanadzor subcommittee,
said, "the 'Walk for the Children of Vanadzor' is organized to benefit
year-round kindergartners. 100% of the net proceeds from the Walkathon
will be used to provide welfare assistance to the families, as well
as supplementing educational supplies such as knapsacks, medicine,
winter clothes, shoes, bedding and urgent school repair services."
During the 20 years of partnership with Vanadzor, Pasdena Sister
Cities has provided significant assistance to Vanadzor schools,
sometimes supplementing a teacher's salary and other times paying
for necessary school repairs.
Marcia Montez, PSCC President, said, "It is imperative to assist
families and the children of Vanadzor, because today Armenia is
fighting a harsh economy and there is over 50% unemployment in the
country. She added, "In October of 2011, PSCC members traveled to
Vanadzor to celebrate our 20-year partnership between the two cities.
The week-long trip was an opportunity to evaluate the progress and the
needs in Vanadzor kindergartens. Some of the PSCC members participated
in construction and repairs that were absolutely necessary in poorly
maintained kindergartens."
The walk-a-thon has been endorsed by elected officials, notably by
Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard and City Council members, and Los Angeles
County Fifth District Supervisor Mike Antonovich. It is also endorsed
by several Pasadena Public Unified School District Board members,
and prominent members of the Pasadena business community. It promises
to be a local tradition each school year.
The PHS location makes this a very safe environment for young
children to participate with their parents and/or grandparents. We
hope many will join us in this humanitarian endeavor. Walkers'
registration/donation is $5.00. You may also send your tax deductible
contributions in any amount, (payable: Walk for Children/Vanadzor
and mail to Vanadzor Walkathon 1536 E. Washington Blvd Pasadena, CA,
91104. For more information, please contact: Marguerite Hougasian,
(626) 351-8137; Helen Kouyoumdjian (626) 797-1526; or Forrest Turpen,
(626) 318-6835.
Catherine Yesayan is a contributor to Asbarez. You may
reach her at [email protected] or read her stories on her
blog:beyondthebluedomes.blogspot.com
Catherine Yesayan
asbarez
Friday, March 16th, 2012
What better way than to spend the first Sunday of spring, outdoors
under the Southern California sun, and raising funds for a good cause!
Come join us and participate in a walk-a-thon at Pasadena High School
benefiting Vanadzor schools in Armenia.
Pasadena Sister Cities Committee (PSCC), in conjunction with
the Christian Club at Pasadena High School, will hold their third
walk-a-thon Sunday, March 25, from 1:30 to 4 p.m., at the track and
field of Pasadena High School, 2925 East Sierra Madre Boulevard,
Pasadena.
Around five years ago a friend introduced me to the Pasadena Sister
Cities program and since then I've proudly been a part of this
benevolent organization which embodies the American spirit of giving
and reaching out.
Pasadena was one of the first cities in the nation to adopt a
Sister Cities program. President Dwight Eisenhower established the
concept in 1956. The idea was to achieve international peace through
people-to-people interactions. Presently, 1,060 U.S. cities participate
in the Sister Cities program and they have ties to over 1,900 cities
in 120 nations.
Pasadena has five sister cities around the world. Vanadzor
(vah-naht-zor), previously known as Kirovakan, became the fourth in
1991, three years after the 1988 earthquake which destroyed 70% of
the city's buildings. With a population of 175,000, Vanadzor is the
third largest city in Armenia. It is located in Lory, the northwestern
region of the Republic of Armenia, and sits about 80 miles north of
the capital city of Yerevan.
Vanadzor is widely known for its wonderful "Lory" mineral water, clean
running springs, green hills, and snow-capped mountains visible in
all directions. The city is now in the process of rebirth and change.
Owing to its beauty and rich culture, Vanadzor has many descriptive
names: the Beauty of Lory, Sanatorium City, City of Music, and
Masters City.
Helen Kouyoumdjian, chair for the Pasadena/Vanadzor subcommittee,
said, "the 'Walk for the Children of Vanadzor' is organized to benefit
year-round kindergartners. 100% of the net proceeds from the Walkathon
will be used to provide welfare assistance to the families, as well
as supplementing educational supplies such as knapsacks, medicine,
winter clothes, shoes, bedding and urgent school repair services."
During the 20 years of partnership with Vanadzor, Pasdena Sister
Cities has provided significant assistance to Vanadzor schools,
sometimes supplementing a teacher's salary and other times paying
for necessary school repairs.
Marcia Montez, PSCC President, said, "It is imperative to assist
families and the children of Vanadzor, because today Armenia is
fighting a harsh economy and there is over 50% unemployment in the
country. She added, "In October of 2011, PSCC members traveled to
Vanadzor to celebrate our 20-year partnership between the two cities.
The week-long trip was an opportunity to evaluate the progress and the
needs in Vanadzor kindergartens. Some of the PSCC members participated
in construction and repairs that were absolutely necessary in poorly
maintained kindergartens."
The walk-a-thon has been endorsed by elected officials, notably by
Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard and City Council members, and Los Angeles
County Fifth District Supervisor Mike Antonovich. It is also endorsed
by several Pasadena Public Unified School District Board members,
and prominent members of the Pasadena business community. It promises
to be a local tradition each school year.
The PHS location makes this a very safe environment for young
children to participate with their parents and/or grandparents. We
hope many will join us in this humanitarian endeavor. Walkers'
registration/donation is $5.00. You may also send your tax deductible
contributions in any amount, (payable: Walk for Children/Vanadzor
and mail to Vanadzor Walkathon 1536 E. Washington Blvd Pasadena, CA,
91104. For more information, please contact: Marguerite Hougasian,
(626) 351-8137; Helen Kouyoumdjian (626) 797-1526; or Forrest Turpen,
(626) 318-6835.
Catherine Yesayan is a contributor to Asbarez. You may
reach her at [email protected] or read her stories on her
blog:beyondthebluedomes.blogspot.com