Armenian Groups to Assist Red Cross

Seven Glendale-based Armenian organizations announced plans this week to raise $50,000 for the local chapter of the American Red Cross in appreciation of the relief society’s aid following December’s earthquake in Soviet Armenia.

Armenian-American community leaders said they expect to raise $25,000 by selling seats to a tribute banquet for the Red Cross to be held Nov. 17. In addition, five donors have already promised to donate $5,000 each, benefit organizers said.

Officials of the Glendale-Crescenta Valley chapter of the Red Cross said they plan to use the money to buy a mobile disaster unit--a large van stocked with emergency food, medical supplies and survival equipment. The Glendale Red Cross chapter now has no such emergency vehicle.

The International Red Cross has sent 227 flights to Armenia since the Dec. 7 earthquake, carrying millions of dollars worth of food and medical supplies to the devastated area.

In the week following the earthquake, the organization’s Glendale chapter set up a phone line to make information about the injured in Armenia available to callers here.

Armenian organizations sponsoring the fund-raising event are the Armenian Relief Society, the Armenian General Benevolent Union of Glendale, the Armenian Educational Foundation, the Armenian National Committee, the Ararat chapter of the Homenetmen, St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church of Glendale and the California Courier newspaper.

Tickets for the banquet at the Castaways Restaurant in Burbank are being sold for $75 each.