National, International, Armenia, and Community News and Opinion

The Armenian Reporter | November 8, 2008 9CommunityA gift of hope and love Continued from page 8when Dr. Haroutyun Balasanyan,president of the Kharberd Center,dedicated an honorary plaque toBalayan.“The builders were great guys,”recounts Balayan with a smile.“They occasionally called me duringconstruction and would say,‘Mr. Balayan, you see these kidsat a distance, but they are herein front of our eyes, so we will doeverything to make sure they livecomfortably.”The Kharberd Orphanage, a threestorybuilding with modern amenities,serves as a sanctuary for childrendenied the early joys of childhood.This new space, which ensuresthe safety and comfort of 50 children,is a world away from the tatteredremnants of the building in whichmany of these youths were destinedto spend their formative years.For Balayan and his fellow organizers,the challenge now is tocontinue to renovate and expandthe Kharberd complex, aiming tohelp house and care for some 255children.During our talk, Balayan showsme photos taken of some of thesechildren in their own abode. Thesparkle in their eyes and the smileson their faces speak volumes asthey view their new beds and gatheringhalls decorated with colorfulartwork. The warmth of their newhome and the love with which itwas built may compensate for theearly traumas these children wereforced to endure.“If we don’t have a healthy generation,we will be lost. That is whyI do this,” Balayan says, referringto his abiding faith in the longtermbenefits of projects such asthe telethon.In the worksWith the successful completionof the first part of the KharberdOrphanage, Balayan, his advisors,and supporters are now turningtheir attention to the rural regionsof Armenia, where schools and orphanagesare in desperate need ofassistance.Two dilapidated orphanages inShirak and a school in a surroundingarea are next on Balayan’s agenda,as he hopes the telethon willyield enough funds to begin renovations.He spews out statistic after direstatistic to illustrate the plight ofchildren in Armenia.“In Armenian villages there are130,000 disabled and orphaned children,”he says. “Generally speaking,80% of our orphanages are in an extremelypoor state. If you are puttingchildren in a classroom, thatbuilding needs to be safe. We haveto safeguard those school buildingsso when children come to school,they won’t have to worry that theroof is going to collapse.”Balayan goes on to provide anendless list of deficiencies in termsof basic needs, comforts, and amenitiesthat most children in the U.S.take for granted.“They need paper, pens,” he notes.“They don’t have books. For example,the books are copied. In Armeniathere are thousands of amazingbooks published, but the childrendon’t get them.”Plea to the diasporaBalayan’s appeals to the Armenian-American public have not fallen ondeaf ears, as donations have continuedto pour in and the numberof telethon supporters has grownexponentially year after year.The first year of the telethon sawthe participation of an estimated500 people. That number reachedover 2,000 last year.“I think that this year the numberof participants will be higher,”Balayan says. “Maybe the denominationswill be smaller because peopleare facing financial hardships,but the participation will be more.I’ve always said that the denominationis important, but it doesn’thold the first place. The first thingis participation. People’s [awarenessof the plight of] these childrenis what’s important to me.”Despite the current economiccrisis faced by Armenian-Americans,Balayan believes that peopleare prepared to give because theyare impressed with the work thatis being carried out to aid the childrenof Armenia.Perhaps the transparency withwhich these funds are distributedhas contributed to the outpouringof public support. “People believethat this work is being done,”Balayan stresses. “Year after year,our people become more consciousof the fact that they mustleave their sense of indifference.We need to help our country becausethat country is in need.”This year the appeal for aid hasreached a greater audience as simultaneousbroadcasts on amga,aabc, and High Vision as well as asatellite feed throughout the U.S.,Mexico, and Canada have widenthe scope of the telethon’s message.Previously the event was broadcastin only Glendale, Burbank, and LaCrescenta – a fact which makes theamount of money collected evenmore impressive.Furthermore, the tradition ofgiving has been expanded this yearwith strategically-placed donationboxes in over 100 Armenianbusinesses. The clear plastic boxes,bearing the telethon logo and imagesof children, have been overflowingwith donations since theirinstallment last month. Unlike thetelethon, which takes place once ayear, the donation-box campaignwill continue year-round, in orderto supply a steady stream of incomefor renovation projects thatare in the works.It appears that the man who hasbecome a household name withhis satirical Kach Nazar Monthly,published since 1970, and the KachNazar Live TV show, has found histrue calling in helping these children.“Growing up, I always dreamedof someday being able to help mypeople,” Balayan says. “I alwayswanted to be useful to my language,my country, and my countrymen.It’s a huge joy for me.”Listening to him speak about thechildren who look to him for help,it sounds as though he is talkingabout his own grandchildren. Heembodies a passion, warmth, andlove that cannot be contrived and isreflected in the deep Armenian eyesof the children to whom he has becomea surrogate grandfather. Let us knowwhat’s on yourmind.Write to us atletters@reporter.am