PRESS RELEASE
ARMENIAN RELIEF MISSION
BOX 571
WINNETKA IL 60093
contact: Gary Peter Rejebian
TEL: 312-726-4600 x313
FAX: 312-726-9570
[email protected]
If it can be built, will they come?
Article & photos by Kim Karpeles
Piles of playground material stacked neatly outside a medical clinic
in Vanadzor, Armenia awaited a group of 10 volunteers–five men and
five women–who recently travelled across 10 time zones to reconstruct
the equipment. Two questions hung over the group from the United
States: Can the playground be finished in the allotted 3½ days? And
when it is built, will anyone come?
The playground adventure had its start several months beforehand when
the Northbrook, IL Park District announced it would be replacing an
aging playground in the downtown area. Residents of Northbrook and
others affiliated with the Armenian Relief Mission (ARM), headed by
Steve and Rozik Kashian of Winnetka IL, banded together to secure the
donation of the equipment graciously donated to ARM, and in September
2003 disassembled it for shipment. Each piece was meticulously labeled
and the structures photographed to assist in reconstruction. In early
November, three shipping containers, donated by United Armenian Fund,
were loaded and sent to the ARM clinic in Vanadzor.
Construction co-foremen Meredith TeGrotenhuis and Laurie Nelson
immediately plunged in and oversaw the organization of materials and
determined placement for the main structure, swing set and train which
the group hoped to finish. It didn’t take long before a small crowd
of curious children and adults had gathered along the fence
surrounding the play area – a sight that was to become very
familiar. What were these Americans doing? What were they going to
build? Meredith and Laurie shared a notebook of CAD designs and
photographs of the playground in Northbrook with the onlookers. Though
few of the Armenians understood English, they quickly understood the
plans and their eyes shone with excitement. Unseasonably wet and cold
weather faced the construction crew for the next three days as the
playground took shape, section by section. Clad in winter clothing
donated to the clinic, the crew kept working despite rain and hail and
the frustration that the arrival of one box of key construction tools
was delayed until the project was completed.
Four Armenian men worked primarily on the swing set construction, but
also assisted the crew when many hands and strong arms were needed to
place flooring sections and raise beams. Working side by side required
everyone to improve their sign language skills and to learn a few key
words of Armenian or English. The “thumbs up” sign was exported to
Armenian while the US team mastered shnorhagalem (thank you).
Opening day for the playground dawned bright and clear. The team went
door-to-door throughout the neighborhood inviting families to join the
4:00pm festivities with welcoming speeches planned and music provided
by local church singers. Before the gates opened, children and their
parents and grandparents lined the fence standing three and four deep.
Excitement and anticipation filled the air as hundreds of kids awaited
their chance to swing and climb and slide.
The crowd surged forward and more than 400 children converged at once
filling every conceivable square inch of playground equipment. For
hours, children went down the slide, two or three at a time. They
stood patiently in line for a chance to swing or took a seat in the
train and enjoyed the thrill of the first playground for their town of
75,000. And the construction team held their breath and prayed that
every bolt would hold!
With the sun setting behind distant mountains and the playground still
filled with joyous children, the volunteers gave thanks to God that
the answer to both questions was a resounding: “HARGAV! OF COURSE!”
The Armenian Relief Mission, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit
organization, was started by Dr Steve Kashian, a Chicago-area
physician,and his wife Rozik to provide medical and humanitarian aid
to Armenia “one person at a time.” Since 1991, the organization has
opened a pharmacy and built and run a new medical clinic facility in
Vanadzor, helped an Armenian man develop one of the largest sausage
businesses in the country, visited numerous orphanages to bring school
supplies and good cheer to Armenian children, and even helped the
residents of an apartment building renovate their common areas. ARM
is currently working on starting a residential home for young women
who have been `aged out’ of state orphanages to prevent them from
ending up on the street. If you would like more information about ARM
activities please email: [email protected] or write to: Armenian
Relief Mission, box 571 Winnetka IL 60093