Armenian Reporter: Tom Vartabedian

Tom Vartabedian

Albert S. Movsesian is in the driver's seat.

Movsesian drives 25,000 miles for charity

Jan 29, 2010: Each week when the call comes from Northern Essex Elder Transport, into his car he goes to drive some thankful patient into Boston to meet a medical appointment. more...

Haig Varadian .

High School dedicates science wing to Haig Varadian

Jan 29, 2010: Throughout his 41 years in education, Haig Varadian never wasted an opportunity to assist a student. more...

Marty Kanayan in Abaran, Armenia, presiding over the interment of his father, General Dro, in 2000.

In Memoriam: Marty Kanayan walked in dad’s footsteps

Jan 29, 2010: Growing up in the streets of Watertown, MA, Mardiros (Martin) Kanayan was his father's keeper. more...

The author's mother Jennie Vartabedian is pictured on right. Courtesy photo.

A nursing home adopts Armenia

Jan 29, 2010: This is about a group of residents inside a nursing home who knew little or nothing about Armenia until they were exposed to it one fine afternoon. more...

Jack and Pauline Kachanian of Windham, N.H., are observing their 65th anniversary as active members of the Merrimack Valley Armenian community.

Classic Armenian couples show lots of class

Jan 28, 2010: What does it take to form a successful relationship? more...

Winter is a time to be generous of spirit.

Merry Christmas, Armenia

Dec 08, 2009: Tom Vartabedian sends a loving Christmas card to Armenia – a land of wondrous dreams and poignant realities. more...

Nishan Ovian .

Ovian brothers unfold sibling rivalry on stage

Dec 02, 2009: Forget the pillow fights or the petty grievances at home. This one had curtain call written all over. Tom Vartabedian reports. more...

John and Violet Dagdigian are honored with distinguished service awards from the Armenian Prelacy during a 39th anniversary celebration of St. Gregory Church of North Andover, MA. They are joined in photo by Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian, vicar general, and John Kulungian, chairman, Board of Trustees.

Prelacy honors Dagdigians at St. Gregory Church anniversary

Nov 17, 2009: Modest as they are, John and Violet Dagdigian would have preferred choice seats to a Red Sox game as opposed to a hotter seat during a 39th anniversary celebration of St. Gregory Church. Both were presented with distinguished service awards by the Armenian Prelacy for their tireless efforts over the past four decades, Tom Vartabedian writes. more...

Helen Houri Boyadjian (at microphone} enchants the audience in "Hello Ellis Island," which celebrates its 20th anniversary with The Way We Were Ensemble, presented by the New Jersey Hamazkayin. Tom Vartabedian

“Hello Ellis Island” celebrates 20th anniversary

Nov 17, 2009: Hourig Papazian-Sahagian is like the Energizer Bunny. She just keeps going and going, Tom Vartabedian writes. more...

Aram and Alice Der Apkarian of Methuen, MA, celebrate their 60th anniversary with many years of happy memories .

Golden anniversary couples shine

Nov 17, 2009: In a day when golden anniversary couples are becoming as extinct as dinosaurs, the Der Apkarians and Kachanians not only fit the nuptial mold– they break it, Tom Vartabedian writes. more...

Arakadz Lodge, Merrimack Valley Knights of Vartan, donated a collection of Armenian books to the Andover Public Library. Making the presentation to Emily Classon, community services librarian, is Commander Edgar Movsesian.

Merrimack Valley Knights of Vartan sponsor Armenian cultural night

Nov 03, 2009: What started out as a simple film depicting Armenia's beauty turned into a full-fledged Armenian cultural evening that included the donation of several books to Andover Memorial Hall Library, Tom Vartabedian writes. more...

Cape Cod Armenian Church flexes its wings

front, from left, Ellen Ishkanian, Alice Hagopian, chairman, and Linda Topalian-Pegnato. Rear, Ara Ishkanian, Mark Hagopian and Fred Pegnato.

Cape Cod Armenian parishioners persevere

Oct 27, 2009: A small coterie of dedicated Armenians on Cape Cod have been trying desperately to establish their own church since the 1980s. There's still no church, but there is a warm and dedicated circle of parishioners, Tom Vartabedian writes. more...

Susan Kulungian .

A woman crusades against breast cancer

Oct 13, 2009: Susan Kulungian smiles coyly when people call her "the mad hatter." One day, she comes dressed as a pirate with a patch over her eye and the next day, a chef with an armful of groceries. Tom Vartabedian tells the story. more...

Very Rev. Fr. Torkom Hagopian, right, with Dr. Vartan Gregorian, president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and Abp. Oshagan Choloyan, at a celebration of the 20th anniversary of St. Stephen's Armenian Elementary School, 2004. Eastern Prelacy

Remembering Der Torkom Hagopian

Sep 17, 2009: "I remember a priest standing on the steps of St. Stephen's Church with his arms folded and a disgruntled look on his face, glancing at his watch as I hustled about with my camera in hand." Tom Vartabedian remembers Archpriest Torkom Hagopian. more...

Antranik Monument Park in Yerevan is flourishing with trees after being barren a decade ago, thanks to the efforts of the Armenia Tree Project, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary. Tom Vartabedian

Personal tour of Armenia Tree Project lifts spirits

Jul 10, 2009: Essayist Tom Vartabedian spent a day with the Armenia Tree Project during a recent trip to Armenia. He came away deeply impressed. more...

A scene from an Armenian School hantess at St. Gregory Church in North Andover, Mass., dedicated to its late pastor, Rev. Vartan Kassabian. . Tom Vartabedian

Late pastor's spirit hovers over Armenian School hantess

Jun 10, 2009: The spirit of Rev. Vartan Kassabian proved a guiding light in an Armenian School hantess dedicated to his memory at St. Gregory Church of North Andover, Mass., last month. more...

A baseball fan shows off his New York Yankees hat to a granddaughter in Goris. Photos: Tom Vartabedian. Tom Vartabedian

New York Yankees taking firm grip upon Armenia

Jun 05, 2009: Columnist Tom Vartabedian was surprised to see New York Yankees caps in Yerevan, Goris, and Stepanakert. No other teams were represented. more...

A crowd estimated at 1 million pays its respects at the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan, April 24, 2009. Tom Vartabedian

One in a million on April 24 in Armenia

May 28, 2009: While touring Armenia in April, I was “one in a million,” essayist Tom Vartabedian writes. On April 24th, the 94th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, I joined a crowd estimated at 1 million making its annual pilgrimage to the memorial on the outskirts of Yerevan. more...

Jack Papazian, 1940–2009.

Jack Papazian remembered as Philly catalyst

May 28, 2009: Every community needs a Jack Papazian – someone to shepherd the youth, motivate the adults, collaborate with legislators, keep the church front vital, and spread the good name of Armenia at every interval, Tom Vartabedian writes in a tribute to the late Philadelphia-Armenian. more...

A child at play inside Zadig Orphanage on the outskirts of Yerevan. Tom Vartabedian

Armenia revisited: A second look at a country’s heritage

May 22, 2009: Essayist Tom Vartabedian visited Armenia for a second time. He offers the highlights of his three-week trip in words and images. more...

Pete Jelalian addresses youngsters at Camp Hayastan in Franklin, Mass., where he has spent the past 33 years in a variety of roles.

“Baron Pete” answers last call at Camp Haiastan

May 20, 2009: After 33 years and many diverse roles, Pete Jelalian is calling it quits at Camp Haiastan, a place he affectionately calls “his second home.” Tom Vartabedian has a profile. more...

The other church

Apr 23, 2009: Columnist Tom Vartabedian decided to attend services at the other Armenian church one week. Heads turned. He recommends it. more...

The Ar-Li-Na Ensemble .

Merrimack Valley Armenians to observe 94th anniversary of Genocide

Apr 16, 2009: The theme of the Merrimack Valley observance of the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide will be "A Musical Tribute to the Martyrs" and will feature a trio of Armenian-born artists called Ar-Li-Na making its professional debut in the valley, Tom Vartabedian reports. more...

Rev. Vartan Kassabian.

Remembering Rev. Vartan Kassabian: a moment frozen in time

Mar 25, 2009: Rev. Vartan Kassabian, who died earlier this month, regularly brought blessings and good cheer to the last Armenian Genocide survivor in Haverhill, Mass., and the three other Armenian residents of the Hannah Duston Nursing Home, Tom Vartabedian reports. more...

Rev. Vartan Kassabian.

Thousands mourn passing of beloved pastor Vartan Kassabian

Mar 25, 2009: Condolences poured into New England from across the country and abroad for a beloved pastor who served his church for 17 years before climbing a stairway to paradise, Tom Vartabedian writes. more...

Students at Wilmington (Mass.) High School receive a lesson on the Armenian Genocide from Tom Vartabedian and Albert S. Movsesian, members of the Armenian Genocide Curriculum Committee of Merrimack Valley. Other high schools north of Boston have also shown an interest in the presentation and adopted curriculums.

Wilmington students study Armenian Genocide

Mar 05, 2009: Efforts to introduce an Armenian Genocide curriculum throughout high schools north of Boston are gaining impetus, Tom Vardabedian reports. more...

Ojen Fantazian: a survivor and an inspiration

Feb 26, 2009: Ojen Fantazian, an Armenian Genocide survivor, continues to live a brisk independent life inside her modest home just outside Arlington, Mass. Tom Vartabedian has a profile. more...

Dora (Kalajian) Tevan receives the Martin Luther King Award from Barry Rafkind, co-chair, Somerville (Mass.) Human Rights Commission, while daughter Angelraven and other co-chair Ify Mora look on.
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Dora Tevan presented Martin Luther King Award

Feb 19, 2009: Dora (Kalajian) Tevan received the Martin Luther King Award from the Somerville Human Rights Commission. Ms. Tevan founded the Ethnic Arts Center in Somerville nearly three decades ago and has been helping Somerville integrate all that time. Tom Vartabedian has a profile. more...

Paul Varadian, center, with, from left, parents Haig and Anahid, daughters Nevart and Sonig, and sister Diana.