PASADENA, Calif.—The Armenian National Committee of America – Pasadena Chapter (ANCA – Pasadena) hosted its annual Holiday Reception on Thursday, Jan. 8, at the Armenian Center in Pasadena, California. City and state officials, supporters, friends, and prominent members of the Armenian American community were present to celebrate.
ANCA – Pasadena Chapter Board Chairperson Shoghig Yepremian introduced the dignitaries and guests of the day and thanked everyone for their unwavering support of the Armenian American community in the City of Pasadena. In retrospect, Yepremian highlighted the enormous amount of work that was carried out by the ANCA board members for the past year and went on to congratulate the ANCA – Pasadena Chapter Board for its persistent hard work and diligence in looking out for the best interests of the Armenian American community in the City of Pasadena.
“The ANCA, Pasadena Chapter is a shining example of what happens when an organization takes the lead and makes the kind of strides it has made in an effort to help meet the needs of the Armenian American Community, coupled with the long standing relationship it has always fostered with the City of Pasadena,” board vice chair and treasurer Vahe Majarian was quoted as saying.
The guests of the ANCA in attendance included City of Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard, Vice Mayor Jacque Robinson (District 1), Councilmembers Margaret McAustin (District 2), John J. Kennedy (District 3), State Assemblyman Chris Holden’s Representative Gerald Phillips, City of Sierra Madre Mayor John Harabedian, Pasadena Chief of Police Philip Sanchez, Pasadena City Treasurer Vic Erganian, Former State Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, and former City of Pasadena Mayor Bill Thomson. Also present was Pasadena Unified School District Board Member Elizabeth Pomeroy, Principal of Marshall High School Dr. Mark Anderson, PUSD Coordinator of Intervention and Integrative Programs Hoori Chalian, Recreation and Parks Commissioner Ciran Hadjian, Congresswoman Judy Chu’s Representative Mathew Hovsepian, and ANCA – Western Region Board Member Raffi Kassabian.
The ANCA – Pasadena Chapter Board promised to continue its ongoing work to lead the community in the right direction in the upcoming year as it has in the past and see to it that efforts in the upcoming elections and the much anticipated genocide memorial project be fulfilled in time for the centennial commemoration in April 2015.
The ANCA – Pasadena Chapter thanked Leon Café and Lounge, Remedy Liquor, Vrej Pastry, and Allied Public Adjusters for their generosity in making the event possible. ANCA – Pasadena gave special gratitude to Patille Dance Studio for the evening’s entertainment.
Photo: Guests at ANCA – Pasadena’s annual holiday reception