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In 1947, a
group of Armenian American Veterans of World War II
gathered at the Pine Street Potato Chip Company located
on Gorham Street in Lowell. At this meeting the
Armenian American Veterans of Lowell was established.
Menas Boghosian was elected Commander and Kirk Kirkorian
as the Finance Officer. The group grew in numbers
and in activity and on February 4, 1952, the
organization was officially chartered under the General
Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In
1961, the Armenian American Veterans Organization joined
the Veterans' Council of Lowell, Ma.
Over the years,
the group has served the Armenian and the Greater Lowell
Community in many ways. They have volunteered
their services to veterans' hospitals and other
veterans' organizations. The Veterans have
sponsored and continue to sponsor Christmas parties for children of
Local Parishes and
for many years donated Easter baskets for the Children
at Easter. Roses were given to the woman after
church services on Mother's Day.
Every Memorial
Day, the Veterans continue their tradition of
remembrance by conducting special grave side ceremonies
of their deceased members with prayers and placement of
the American Flag at every grave site. The
Veterans participate at the funerals of deceased members
with a color guard, firing squad and taps. The
group has participated in the City of Lowell Memorial
Day parade for years and has organized the parade on
many occasions. A member of the organization is
represented on the Veterans' Council of Lowell.
The Armenian American Veterans have never missed a
Memorial Day Parade.
The Veterans
have participated and continue to participate with other
Armenian community and church groups celebrating Martyrs
Day annually in Lowell and have helped celebrate Martyrs
Day in Lawrence.
On two
occasions the City of Lowell, with the help of the
Veterans, celebrated Veterans Day, November 11th
in Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Church when the church was
in Lowell. On both occasions the Armenian American
Veterans were honored for their service to the
community.
In 1975, the
organization purchased a building in Lowell and named it
the "Sam Manoian Post #1 of Lowell" in honor of his
dedication and many years of service to the organization
not only as a member, but also as a Past Commander.
The building served as a meeting place, provided space
for small social functions and since it contained
bowling lanes, bowling leagues were available for
members and their families.
On November 16,
1986, the Veterans presented to the City of Lowell a
monument dedicated to the Armenian forefathers who came
to Lowell and formed the Armenian community. This
small community of Armenians has grown to become a vital
part of the fabric of Greater Lowell.
The Veterans
established an Endowment Fund with the proceeds from the
sale of their building. This Endowment Fund has
allowed the organization to award scholarships to worthy
college bound students for the past 15 years totaling
more than $90,000 NOW - $115,000.00. The Veterans sponsor an annual
Scholarship Dinner-Dance as a fund raiser in order to
increase the value of the Endowment Fund thus allowing
for more scholarships. The scholarship program
named "The Menas Boghosian Scholarships" in honor of the
first Commander and then for many years, the Finance
Officer.
The Emblem of
the Armenian American Veterans of Lowell was designed by
Haig Goodsoozian, a veteran of World War II. The
flag is used in parades as part of the color guard and
is among the flags hanging in the Lowell Memorial
Auditorium Hall of Flags.
The
members of the Armenian American Veterans have served
our country proudly in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam
War and Iraq.
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