Giving back to giving women
Karen S. Kim
GLENDALE -- Rita Vorperian was only 3 when she became a volunteer
member of the Armenian Relief Society. Her parents, who were both members
of the organization at the time, wanted to make sure their daughter
learned the value of giving back to the community.
Fifty-nine years later, Vorperian is being honored for her efforts in
humanitarian aid and advocating women’s rights. The 62-year-old Glendale
resident is Rep. Adam Schiff’s (D-Glendale) pick for Glendale Woman of
the Year in the 27th Congressional District.
But Vorperian is humble about her award.
“When your family drives you that way, it comes to you very
naturally,” Vorperian said. “I was born in this environment.”
Vorperian, who was born in Syria, is the senior administrator and
executive secretary of the Armenian Relief Society based in Glendale. The
organization sends economic and humanitarian relief to Armenia and its
government. In addition, Vorperian spends her own time writing feminist
essays to the Aztag Daily of Beirut, Asbarez of Los Angeles and Hairenik
of Boston.
“I look around, and I see things that I don’t like,” Vorperian said.
“There are things that can be corrected for which I think that we have to
educate women.”
Just a few neighborhoods away from Vorperian, Nancy Stone has been
chosen by Schiff as the La Crescenta Woman of the Year for his district.
Stone, who has served as the president of the Mountain Avenue
Elementary School Parent Teacher Assn. and vice president of the Rosemont
Middle School PTA, is also heavily involved in Seeds of Peace. Stone
helped Seeds of Peace create the Community Service Learning Project, a
program where 600 students donate 10,000 volunteer hours to the community
each year. Seeds of Peace is an organization created to improve dialogue
between members of different ethnicities.
“Nancy is a pretty remarkable woman who has really dedicated herself
to improving the equality of life for the kids in our community,” Schiff
said. “She is just one of those people who embodies the principle that if
you need something done, ask a busy person, because she’s taken on so
much and seems to be able to do it so effortlessly.”
Vorperian and Stone will be honored at a Women of the Year luncheon
hosted by Schiff today.
Stone could not be reached for comment Tuesday.