A.R.S. News & Events
INTERNATIONAL FOOD FESTIVAL AND AUCTION
The Armenian Relief Society of the Eastern United States proudly announces its "International Food Festival and Auction, organized by the New Jersey and New York Chapters and will take place on Saturday, March 13, 2010 at Hovnanian School, New Milford, NJ - 5:00 pm.
The festival will feature food booths of varied nations for everyone’s palate.
The ARS will hold a Live and Silent Auction as well as a Tricky Tray with many unusual and exciting items to bid on. More
ARS Mayr Chapter of New York presents Zulal
Armenian Relief Society Mayr Chapter of New York presents Zulal in concert. Zulal Armenian A Cappella Folk Trio will be performed
on April 11, 2010 at 4:00pm, at Armenian Church of the Holy Martyrs - Kalustyan Hall 209-15 Horace Harding Expressway Bayside, NY 11364. More
‘We Are Very Nimble, Therefore Very Effective’
An Interview with ARS Eastern USA Chairperson Muriel Parseghian
By Khatchig Mouradian
Muriel Parseghian has been a member of the ARS Lowell Lusintak Chapter for over 25 years. She is currently serving her third stint as chairperson of the ARS Eastern USA. (One was in the early 1990s and the other was six years ago. She is now in the final two years of the current term.) “We have term limits, which is great because you cannot continue to serve at the high level that the position demands, and because, more importantly, it gives a wide range of individuals an opportunity to lead,” she says. “I have served on the Board with dozens of different members. And I learned and continue to learn from each and everyone one of them,” she adds.
I spoke to her on July 22 about the challenges facing the organization that she has served for a quarter of a century, and the work that is being done by the ARS Eastern USA.
Khatchig Mouradian—Anniversaries are a time for celebrating and recognizing past accomplishments. They are also an opportunity to evaluate the work done and, if need be, chart a new course. On the threshold of the 100th anniversary of the ARS, what are the challenges facing the organization and what suggestions do you have for adapting to the challenges and changes in today’s world?
Muriel Parseghian—The challenges are many but there are two major issues facing the organization here in the United States as we approach our 100th anniversary. One issue is external and the other is internal.
The first one has to do with American society. Most ARS members no longer live in neighborhoods or cities that have high concentrations of Armenians. We are dispersed throughout the Eastern U.S. Most members do not even see each other until their monthly meeting. That was not the case a decade ago. Furthermore, our members are women who for the most part have a job or careers, and are raising a family and are responsible for the welfare of their parents. They essentially have three jobs. The time and effort they can put into a volunteer organization is limited. Therefore, what they cannot do with quantity, they now need to compensate with quality. We need to learn to use our time and effort in a more intelligent manner. More
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