Telethon Raises More Than $2.5 Million
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Hosts Manoug Seraidarian and Karineh Birazian. Photo by Nora Yacoubian
EDITOR’S NOTE: Below is a mere snapshot of the ANCA Endowment Fund Telethon. In future editions, Asbarez will feature complete coverage of the event, including behind-the-scenes interviews and perspectives, as well as reactions from the community and participants.
LITTLE ARMENIA-In what became a strong show of grassroots participation and reinforced the power of national community participation, $2.6 million was raised during Sunday’s six-hour nationally televised ANCA Endowment Fund Telethon.
Bolstered by a matching donation of $150,000 by Kirk Kerkorian’s Lincy Foundation, the telethon attracted a broad cross-section of the community and the final results proved the commitment of the Armenian-American community to the advancement the Armenian Cause.
With donations ranging from $5 to $150,000, thousands of Armenian-Americans took part in the fund-raising effort, with hundreds more volunteering their time, services and other resources to ensure the telethon was a success.
Volunteers man the phones, collecting donations. Photo by Nora Yacoubian
The program, aired nationally on Horizon Armenian Television and the Armenian Russian Television Network (ARTN) and local outlets throughout the country, featured segments highlighting the ANCA Endowment Fund’s achievements and activities in Genocide education, youth empowerment, advocacy training, the advancement of an enduring relationship between the United States and Armenia and the promotion of public awareness of the circumstances surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh.
The telethon, which was filmed live in the Horizon studios, also featured appearances by Western Prelate Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, leader of the Armenian Catholic Community Father Antoine Saroyan, Rev. Joe Matossian of the Armenian Evangelical Church, Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian, ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian, as well as major donors and sponsors.
Video messages were broadcast from Western Primate Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, California State Assemblyman Paul Krikorian and San Francisco Mayor and California gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom.
Ferrahian preschoolers present a check for $10,000 to the ANCA Endowment Fund. Photo by Nora Yacoubian
The 2009 Telethon Committee, which has been planning and executing the project for the past several months, had produced a well-executed program hosted by 11 community and media leaders from throughout the United States, all of whom emphasized the importance of the ANCA Endowment Fund to the advancement of Armenian-American community aspirations.
Hosts Karine Birazian, Paul Chaderjian, Alina Dorian, Saro Haroun, Silva Haroutounian, Ari Killian, Roxanne Makasjian, Steve Mesrobian, Anahid Oshagan, Aram Sarafian and Manoug Seraidarian adeptly navigated the audience through the six-hour broadcasts, which was intertwined with information and education segments, live in-studio appearances, and pleas from community leaders.
Another highlight of the telethon was the participation of community organizations, churches and schools, which had activated their membership and raised funds that were presented on behalf of the respective groups.
The funds raised during the telethon will be allocated to furthering the mission of the ANCA Endowment Fund to educate and empower the community toward advancing issues of concern to the Armenian-American community.
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