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Armenian Senior Citizens Tower When events of a quarter century are reviewed in a given community, it is right to expect that a writer would zero in on those achievements that can justifiably be termed, "true milestones.”
Although the building of
the St. Sarkis Tower was not exclusively a church undertaking, church members in
large measure, researched it. The ARF and ARS also made important contributions
of time and ideas.
The dream had preceded the
actual building of the Tower by two decades, but the lack of Federal funds kept
the project in limbo. This in no way deterred the zeal of the project's two
prime movers.
Instead of waiting for the
Federal Government to announce the availability of funds, the two spent their
time asking questions about the laws that dealt with housing for senior
citizens. Their enterprise opened many doors to government offices that
theretofore had been closed to them.
Their dedicated action was
bound to bear fruit, and bear fruit it did.
Representatives of the
Federal Government and members of the St. Sarkis Tower Building Committee that
would make possible the launching of work on the eight-story senior citizens
complex signed papers. The general contractor selected was Forest City Dillon
Enterprises of Cleveland, Ohio.
The dream of establishing
a complete Armenian Community had long been a cherished concept of a group of
concerned individuals in the St. Sarkis family of Armenians.
What they had envisioned
was a church, an Armenian Day School, a community center and a senior citizens
apartment complex. Perhaps down the road there might even be an auditorium and a
gymnasium. The vision had inordinate merit, but any vision or idea, in and of itself, is useless unless there is someone to put the machinery into motion that would carry out that idea. The Armenian Community was blessed to have a member who was willing to provide the drive it required to start the idea in motion.
The member alluded to is Dr. Arthur Hamparian whose dream of a senior citizens complex started as many as ten years before the actual project got under way. Dr. Hamparian had the foresight to enlist the aid of Jack Hekimian, a retired U.S. government official, who gave of himself completely to initiate and move the project.
Hekimian became the
community's liaison representative to H.U.D., the government agency that was to
guarantee the subsidization of the six-million dollar program.
The two worked tirelessly
to learn about and complete the many forms the U.S. government required, before
approval could be granted for the H.U.D., Public Law 202, Section 8 funding. After several years of investigative groundwork and research had been concluded, an Executive Board of the General Building Committee was elected.
The board included: Chairman Dr. Arthur Hamparian, Richard Maloian, Mike Adray, Ara Michaelian, John Kchikian, Paul Bardizbanian, John Goulasarian, AI Sarkisian, Norma Chichagian, Margaret Vartian and Rose M. Lavigue (Mossoian).
Following their election, a subsequent election was held to elect the first Board of Directors of the St. Sarkis Tower. They were: Percy Sarkisian -Chairman Richard Maloian -Vice Chairman John Kchikian -Secretary- Treasurer John Goulasarian -Treasurer Michael Adray Paul Bardizbanian Norma Chichagian Rose M. Lavigue (Nazig Mossoian) Margaret Vartian
A three member legal committee was designated as follows: Peter Karapetian, David Karapetian and Robert Marsac.
During the entire planning and subsequent building phase of the program, it was never less than a total labor of love by the entire community's various organizations.
This great spirit of cooperation that prevailed then continues to this day.
Under the terms of our contract with the U.S. government, we are obliged to make payments for 40 years, after which the St. Sarkis Tower will belong to the St. Sarkis Armenian Community.
Inasmuch as occupancy of the building took place in April of 1981, we have now been making payments for twenty years. This means the Armenian community will be the owners of the building in the year 2021.
Knowing something of the Armenian character will help one better understand how it was possible to achieve housing for our senior citizens, so we have tried, in the prose that follows, to outline the stellar character the world has come to associate with the Armenian people.
Centuries before the Armenian people were driven from their historic lands, they lived in the geographical area we lovingly called Armenia.
Our forefathers were God-fearing people whose livelihood, was taken from the soil. The exceptions were the merchants, the artisans and a sizable number of government officials. In the main, however, they were simple farmers, as yet untarnished by the ugliness and corruptions of more "advanced civilizations.”
The rising and setting sun dictated their toil, and levity, though present, came hard because the demands of their labor exacted too much from them.
Despite these hardships of daily life, or perhaps because of them, they became vigorous people whose love of family and tradition, equaled or surpassed these same qualities in other nations. They loved their children dearly and revered their elders.
Events of history have removed Armenia from the world’s maps, temporarily. In the years it will take to regain and repopulate these lands, Armenians the world over have the responsibility of preserving their customs, their familial ties, and their institutions.
This should not be construed to mean the exclusive responsibility of any single group, whether it is the Armenian Church with its two Holy Sees, the different political organizations, or the cultural and compatriotic societies. It is the collective responsibility of all Armenians, whatever their ideological affiliations.
No Armenian of conscience should isolate them self from this near Holy responsibility, for to do so is to endanger the concept of perpetuating our cultural heritage.
Our legacy then was to give of ourselves to Armenian generations yet unborn. It was felt that future generations of Armenians should not be denied the cultural richness that is theirs because of the indifferences of preceding generations. These were the forces that brought to fruition the St. Sarkis Tower in our community.
The building's rapid progress in construction was due, in great measure, to the use of huge, pre-fabricated concrete slabs that were fabricated in Cleveland and shipped to the building site on large trucks in a seemingly endless shuttle.
To those individuals involved in the building project, the rewards were many. For example, imagine the joy of looking through the windows on the Tower's ground floor and seeing dozens of senior citizens sitting there in "their" living room, enjoying one another's company. It was like watching groups of children in animated, excited communication.
After witnessing the warmth of such a scene, one could not help but wonder how much better this was than to see individuals in their own homes constantly fearful lest they fall victim to illness or some personal tragedy.
The residents of the St. Sarkis Tower no longer live in fear, for there is always someone nearby to offer a helping hand.
If all is well on a given day, the residents simply hang out a cutout paper face on their door handle signifying that they are well. Monitors check each door every day. If the smiling, paper-faced cutout is not on the door knob, it is the signal that all may not be well, whereupon the Resident Manager is contacted at once to investigate further.
The adjustments to their new life style have been quite remarkable. Whereas in former days the residents, for the most part, lived in tightly structured family units, they are now in constant interaction, with persons of differing ethnic backgrounds. The dramatic changes in life styles, though somewhat awkward initially, have become more and more palatable as the residents become better acquainted.
In the now twenty-year life at the St. Sarkis Tower, a new "family" concept has emerged. Those residents who remain interested in their new home, and willingly welcome new family members, have learned much from one another.
It is a joy to watch buses periodically pull up in front of the Tower to take the residents swimming, shopping, or on some tour. It is a further joy to see the children and grandchildren come to the Tower to take their mothers, fathers, or grandparents to their homes for dinner or visits. It is a greater joy to see the residents smiling at one another and planning together for the next Easter party, the next great Thanksgiving Day feast, or the Holy Christmas Season. The greatest joy of all, however, is the sight of God's children living comfortably together in peace, far removed from the ugliness and tyrannies that other nations' peoples face each day of their lives. The Tower was built at a cost of $5,600,000. All units in the building have their own living room, dining room area, a bedroom, a kitchen and storage area, a spacious bathroom and a large outside balcony. Aside from the individual housing units, the St. Sarkis Tower has a large living room area on the ground floor. There is also a library, a large arts and crafts area and a room for community dining. Part of the regular routine of the Tower includes regular weekly visits by local merchants who bring various food items into the buildings for the convenience of the resident shoppers. Eggs, butter, milk and a wide assortment of vegetables are a few of the products the residents are able to purchase "in house" rather than having to visit the local grocery marts. Beauticians are also permitted to enter the Tower on specific days to handle the routine needs of the residents. Free weekly bus service transports the residents to other areas as well to help them fulfill at least a part of their social lives. A unique birthday party celebration is observed monthly wherein anyone having a birthday in a given month celebrates the occasion with the other residents who are similarly remembering their birthday that month. Holidays are a time for special celebration at the St. Sarkis Tower. The Resident Manager, on such occasions, is usually the primary motivator and planner for such events. Let us say a special thanks to Almighty God for watching over the residents of the St. Sarkis Tower.
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