Armenian Church of Southwest Florida Schedule for 2016-17 Season
By Frank Avakian Stoneson
FLArmenians Naples Contributor
NAPLES, FL – The Armenian Church of Southwest Florida (ACSWFL) hosted an ‘After Summer Breakfast’ on Wednesday, October 5th at the Original Pancake House in Naples, FL. About 30 of our local parishioners attended the event, and everyone had a delicious breakfast and enjoyed getting together with one another. The ACSWFL also discussed plans for the first Badarak of the season, which will take place on Saturday, November 5th with Rev. Fr. Hovnan Demerjian, pastor of St. Hagop Armenian Church in Pinellas Park, FL.
ACSWFL Badarak services are held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 3901 Davis Blvd., Naples, FL 34104 at 1:30 PM.
Below is the ACSWFL schedule for the 2016-17 season:
- Saturday, November 5, 2015: Badarak and light lunch with Rev. Fr. Hovnan Demerjian;
- Sunday, December 4, 2016: BADARAK CANCELLED;
- Sunday, January 8, 2017: Badarak and Armenian Christmas Dinner with V. Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan;
- Sunday, February 12, 2017: Badarak and Bake Sale with Rev. Fr. Garabed Kochakian;
- Sunday, February 26, 2017: Badarak and Poon Paregantan Banquet with Primate of the Armenian Church of America, H.E. Archbishop K. Barsamian;
- Sunday, March 12, 2017: Badarak and Lenten Lunch with Rev. Fr. Krikor Sabounjian.
For special prayers and/or Hokehankist, please contact Frank Avakian Stoneson at (239) 213-0246 or stonesons@embarqmail.com.
Armenia Represented at Oak Ridge High School Culture Day
By Sarah Suzanne Kechejian Dinquel
FLArmenians Guest Columnist
ORLANDO, FL – For many high school teachers, Homecoming Week is a week of fun filled stress. Each day is a different crazy dress up day where teachers don costumes that normal people wouldn’t be seen in out in public, much less seen in at work. These costumes become more outlandish it becomes realized that school spirit awards will be based on who has dressed the most spirited or “craziest” for the week and teachers all hope to win the coveted “most spirited” award.
At Oak Ridge High School in Orlando, where I teach eleventh grade business law, we had a great Homecoming Week. We had “clique day,” where we dressed up like our fellow teachers, “tacky tourist day,” where we dressed up like…you guessed it…tacky tourists; “spirit day,” where we dressed up in school pride apparel and colors; “throw back Thursday,” where we wore our clothes of yesteryear, and “culture day,” where we got to express our favorite culture through our apparel. I thought about dressing in some outlandish wacky cultural costume that I knew I could win most spirited in, but then I realized this would be a great opportunity to gracefully share my culture, one that most of my students know nothing about.
On culture day I wore my Armenian Coat of Arms t-shirt, red pants to represent the red in our flag, and carried the Armenian flag everywhere I went. Many students, teachers, and other staff asked what culture I was representing and I had the opportunity to tell them all about Armenia and the wonders of our amazing culture. I have already talked about Armenia and Armenian culture with the students in my classes, so they were already knowledgeable; but this was a great opportunity for me to share our culture with our entire school of over three thousand students.
I encourage you all to share our culture. Wear your Armenian colors and apparel. Don the Armenian jewelry and talk to others about our culture. In these times of fighting, war, and economic and political turmoil, stories of survival and perseverance are important for people to hear. So be proud and talk about our culture, we are an amazing culture with a wonderful story of survival and perseverance.
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