Westside Ararat Guild hosts dazzling fundraiser

Benefiting the Ararat Home, the event features Douglas Kazanjian and a display of rare jewelry

by Sarene Yacoubian

Published: Saturday October 18, 2008

At the Toluca Lake home of Armen Hampar (back row, second from left) and Nora Hampar (front left, holding a gift package), Douglas Kazanjian (center, holding the other gift package), his mother and uncle, and members of the Westside Guild Board.

On October 8, the Westside Ararat Guild hosted a luncheon to benefit the Ararat Home of Los Angeles. Held at the home of Armen and Nora Hampar, the event featured Douglas Kazanjian, CEO of Kazanjian Brothers Jewelers, as guest speaker.

The Westside Ararat Guild was established over 20 years ago, as an auxiliary organization dedicated to providing community support for elderly care at the Ararat Home of Los Angeles. The women of the guild work tirelessly to organize fundraisers and sponsorships, with the goal of ensuring that the Ararat Home continues to deliver high-quality living and medical services to its residents.

Every year during the month of January or February, representatives of the Westside Guild attend the Ararat Home's annual meeting, when they present the home's Board of Trustees (of which Mr. Hampar is the chairperson) with a check, culminating their fundraising activities of the previous year. Last year, the guild's extraordinary success resulted in a check for $60,000.

At the time of its launch, the guild had as few as 15 members who held meetings and fundraising events at various hobnobbing spots across Los Angeles. However, as the group grew over the years, it had to find larger venues to accommodate its public events. Today, the guild's annual Christmas luncheon is held regularly at the Beverly Hills Hotel while interim fundraisers take place at an assortment of locations.

The guild now has about 125 members. Linda Nazaretian, one of the two co-presidents of the group, said that it aims to have "fun and interesting events in nice places." The goal, she continued, is to get members to participate in a good cause and enjoy a lovely outing at the same time. Ms. Nazaretian spoke highly of the guild's members, stressing that the group is made up of strong, intelligent women who work together in a unified and organized manner in order to achieve their objectives.

The Westside Ararat Guild is one of seven auxiliary organizations that provide support to the Ararat Home. Ms. Nazaretian said that the guild continuously strives to conceive of new and enticing fundraisers that would motivate all members to participate, thus ensuring a steady stream of support for the Ararat Home. Ms. Nazaretian also mentioned that the guild is unique in that its membership comprises a cross-section of Armenian-Americans.

The guild's October 8 luncheon was one of three interim fundraisers held annually. At the invitation of Barbara Palladian and Louise Arklin, members of the guild's Board, Mr. Kazanjian appeared at the event as its guest speaker and showcased samples of unique and rare items produced by Kazanjian Brothers Jewelers.

Before kicking off the luncheon and inviting Mr. Kazanjian to the podium, Ms. Nazaretian had an important announcement to make. She said members and non­members alike could help raise funds for the Ararat Home by shopping for their everyday groceries at Ralph's. As Ms. Nazaretian explained, the supermarket had named the Ararat Home as one of its charities; it would donate 1-2 percent of every purchase made with a Ralph's card to the home. Ms. Nazaretian asked everyone to take the time to fill out a Ralph's card application to help with the cause. The Westside Ararat Guild has also gained a supporter in socialite Kim Kardashian. Known for her reality show and appearance on Dancing with the Stars, she is currently working on a workout video titled Kim Kardashian's Body Beautiful, a portion of whose proceeds will be donated to the guild.

In his remarks, Mr. Kazanjian related a short history of Kazanjian Brothers Jewelers and its ongoing interest in acquiring rare estate jewelry. The company is best known for carving four of the world's largest sapphires into presidential busts. These sapphires, considered the "Crown Jewels of America," were presented to the White House as a gift from the Kazanjian Foundation, and today they are showcased in the Oval Office.

Kazanjian Brothers Jewelers was started in 1918, when James and Harry Kazanjian immigrated to the United States. They began working with distinctive gems and grew to become a renowned and highly successful jewelry company. Today, the establishment is in possession of some of the world's most striking precious stones, including a five-carat, Asher-cut red diamond - not a ruby, but a red-colored diamond. There are currently only three of its size in the world. "This is the greatest stone our company has acquired," said Mr. Kazanjian, who, following his speech, circulated a few of his company's pieces among the audience so everyone could have a closer look.

Subsequently the attendees had the opportunity to socialize and admire the various pieces of jewelry on display. The afternoon continued with coffee, tea, and a raffle, after which the ladies headed home, leaving the Board to start preparing for its next event, the annual Christmas luncheon.

Debbie Avedian, co-president of the Board, spoke about the guild's enthusiasm for the Christmas luncheon. "It is our biggest event of the year, and that is where we make the most money to donate at the annual meeting," she said. Ms. Avedian added that last year's Christmas event was completely underwritten by Ms. Arklin and her husband, who, by doing so, had tremendously helped with the fundraising effort.

Anne Mills, another longtime member of the guild, also expressed her excitement for the Christmas luncheon, mentioning that the event normally draws close to 400 people and features a great selection of homemade Armenian goods presented by various vendors.

The next Christmas luncheon will be held on December 14 at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

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