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PRESS OFFICE
Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 889-5150; Fax: (212) 889-4849
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.farusa.org
December 22, 2006
___________________
GENOCIDE DEATH HONORED WITH DONATION TO FUND FOR ARMENIAN RELIEF
It is a unique number: 46732314673231. It binds Negdar Arukian to her
father and her grandfather. Today Negdar is using the number to improve the
lives of the next generation.
The digits are the New York Life insurance policy number of Negdar's
grandfather Thomas Parounaghian. When she received a check through the
recent settlement of claims brought on behalf of victims of the Genocide,
she decided to donate the money to the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR) to
help orphans in Armenia.
HISTORY OF LOSS
Though some of the details are lost with time, Negdar knows her grandfather
Thomas moved to the United States sometime before 1915. In America, he
worked as a merchant. He traveled back to his home in Arabkir, where he
asked his wife, Negdar's grandmother to move back to America with him.
"She asked about life in America and he told her that in America husbands
and wives kissed and held hands on the street," Negdar said, recalling the
traditional family stories. "So she said 'No way am I going to go there.'"
Instead, Thomas stayed in his village, where he and his wife had two
children, Negdar's father Yeghishe and a daughter. It was there Thomas was
killed during the Genocide. Negdar's grandmother and their two children
were sent into the desert.
The young family eventually found their way to Lebanon, before settling in
Ethiopia in 1927. Negdar was born in Ethiopia, moving to Montreal in 1977
before heading to America a few years latter, bringing her father with her.
He brought something with him as well, Thomas's New York Life policy number.
"I don't know how my father, through all that, through the Genocide, how he
kept that policy number with him, but some how he did," said Negdar of her
late father, who was too young to remember his father. "He wanted to look
into it, but at the time nobody wanted to help. Nobody wanted to find out
about this policy."
FUTURE OF HOPE
Eventually, Vartkes Yeghiayan, who was born in Ethiopia like Negdar, and
fellow Los Angeles lawyer Mark Geragos would take an interest in Thomas' New
York Life policy number.
In 2004, as part of the historic legal settlement the team brokered, New
York Life agreed to pay $20 million to settle the suit on behalf of 2,300
unsettled claims. As a descendent of a policy holder, Negdar ended up with
about $5,000 after their settlement was divided between Thomas' six
grandchildren.
"I felt so happy," Negdar said about the settlement. "Even if it was only
$5, I would have been happy. Because it was something my father wanted to
have taken care of. And though he's not here, it was finally taken care of.
His daughter fulfilled his efforts."
Negdar, her husband Hratch, and two daughters, Arpi and Talin, decided they
didn't need to buy extra Christmas gifts this year or plan a family vacation
with the money. Instead, they donated it to the Fund for Armenian Relief
(FAR), the preeminent aid and development organization operating in Armenia.
She asked that the money go towards FAR's Homeless Children Center in
Yerevan, which works to save the souls of at-risk and runaway youth through
temporary housing, medical care, and social services.
"When I went to Armenia, I saw the orphanage. And my father was an orphan,"
Negdar said emotionally. "I had worked with FAR for a long time. I knew
when I gave the money to FAR, it would go where I wanted it to go."
For Negdar's two daughters, the gift is just another example from their
parents of the importance of giving back to the community. Negdar, for
example, has been active for more than two decades in the Holy Martyrs
Church in Bayside, NY.
"I was not at all surprised by my mother's decision. She is one of the most
generous and kind-hearted individuals I know, and I am very proud to be her
daughter. It will serve the right cause" said her daughter Arpi.
Since its founding in response to the 1988 earthquake, FAR has served
millions of people through more than 220 relief and development programs in
Armenia and Karabagh. It has channeled more than $270 million in
humanitarian assistance by implementing a wide range of projects including
emergency relief, education, medical aid, construction and job opportunity
development.
FAR, one of the preeminent relief and development organization operating in
Armenia, is dedicated to realizing the dream of a free, democratic,
prosperous, and culturally rich Armenia. It works towards a brighter future
by partnering with donors to make life a little better for our people. By
offering hope and more promising prospects in Armenia, Karabagh, and
Javakhk, FAR binds the Diaspora and the Armenian family together around the
globe.
For more information on FAR or to send donations, contact us at 630 Second
Avenue, New York, NY 10016; telephone (212) 889-5150; fax (212) 889-4849;
web www.farusa.org; e-mail [email protected].
-- 12/22/06
# # #
Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 889-5150; Fax: (212) 889-4849
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.farusa.org
December 22, 2006
___________________
GENOCIDE DEATH HONORED WITH DONATION TO FUND FOR ARMENIAN RELIEF
It is a unique number: 46732314673231. It binds Negdar Arukian to her
father and her grandfather. Today Negdar is using the number to improve the
lives of the next generation.
The digits are the New York Life insurance policy number of Negdar's
grandfather Thomas Parounaghian. When she received a check through the
recent settlement of claims brought on behalf of victims of the Genocide,
she decided to donate the money to the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR) to
help orphans in Armenia.
HISTORY OF LOSS
Though some of the details are lost with time, Negdar knows her grandfather
Thomas moved to the United States sometime before 1915. In America, he
worked as a merchant. He traveled back to his home in Arabkir, where he
asked his wife, Negdar's grandmother to move back to America with him.
"She asked about life in America and he told her that in America husbands
and wives kissed and held hands on the street," Negdar said, recalling the
traditional family stories. "So she said 'No way am I going to go there.'"
Instead, Thomas stayed in his village, where he and his wife had two
children, Negdar's father Yeghishe and a daughter. It was there Thomas was
killed during the Genocide. Negdar's grandmother and their two children
were sent into the desert.
The young family eventually found their way to Lebanon, before settling in
Ethiopia in 1927. Negdar was born in Ethiopia, moving to Montreal in 1977
before heading to America a few years latter, bringing her father with her.
He brought something with him as well, Thomas's New York Life policy number.
"I don't know how my father, through all that, through the Genocide, how he
kept that policy number with him, but some how he did," said Negdar of her
late father, who was too young to remember his father. "He wanted to look
into it, but at the time nobody wanted to help. Nobody wanted to find out
about this policy."
FUTURE OF HOPE
Eventually, Vartkes Yeghiayan, who was born in Ethiopia like Negdar, and
fellow Los Angeles lawyer Mark Geragos would take an interest in Thomas' New
York Life policy number.
In 2004, as part of the historic legal settlement the team brokered, New
York Life agreed to pay $20 million to settle the suit on behalf of 2,300
unsettled claims. As a descendent of a policy holder, Negdar ended up with
about $5,000 after their settlement was divided between Thomas' six
grandchildren.
"I felt so happy," Negdar said about the settlement. "Even if it was only
$5, I would have been happy. Because it was something my father wanted to
have taken care of. And though he's not here, it was finally taken care of.
His daughter fulfilled his efforts."
Negdar, her husband Hratch, and two daughters, Arpi and Talin, decided they
didn't need to buy extra Christmas gifts this year or plan a family vacation
with the money. Instead, they donated it to the Fund for Armenian Relief
(FAR), the preeminent aid and development organization operating in Armenia.
She asked that the money go towards FAR's Homeless Children Center in
Yerevan, which works to save the souls of at-risk and runaway youth through
temporary housing, medical care, and social services.
"When I went to Armenia, I saw the orphanage. And my father was an orphan,"
Negdar said emotionally. "I had worked with FAR for a long time. I knew
when I gave the money to FAR, it would go where I wanted it to go."
For Negdar's two daughters, the gift is just another example from their
parents of the importance of giving back to the community. Negdar, for
example, has been active for more than two decades in the Holy Martyrs
Church in Bayside, NY.
"I was not at all surprised by my mother's decision. She is one of the most
generous and kind-hearted individuals I know, and I am very proud to be her
daughter. It will serve the right cause" said her daughter Arpi.
Since its founding in response to the 1988 earthquake, FAR has served
millions of people through more than 220 relief and development programs in
Armenia and Karabagh. It has channeled more than $270 million in
humanitarian assistance by implementing a wide range of projects including
emergency relief, education, medical aid, construction and job opportunity
development.
FAR, one of the preeminent relief and development organization operating in
Armenia, is dedicated to realizing the dream of a free, democratic,
prosperous, and culturally rich Armenia. It works towards a brighter future
by partnering with donors to make life a little better for our people. By
offering hope and more promising prospects in Armenia, Karabagh, and
Javakhk, FAR binds the Diaspora and the Armenian family together around the
globe.
For more information on FAR or to send donations, contact us at 630 Second
Avenue, New York, NY 10016; telephone (212) 889-5150; fax (212) 889-4849;
web www.farusa.org; e-mail [email protected].
-- 12/22/06
# # #