By Aram Arkun
Mirror-Spectator
TEANECK, N.J. — More than 200 guests assembled here at a banquet on June 4 to raise funds, support and celebrate the work of the Armenian Mirror-Spectator, and commemorate three New York area intellectuals who were important in its history.
Guests were initially greeted at the Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe with classical music performed by violoncellist Elizabeth Kalfayan and violinist Orlando Wells.
After Shoghig Chalian, co-chair of the event together with Betty Salbashian, welcomed the guests, Vagharshak Ohanyan and Lena Chilingerian, accompanied on the piano by Dr. Meroujan Maljian, sang the national anthems of the US and Armenia, and Bishop Manuel Batakian, Eparch of the Armenian Catholic Eparchy of the US and Canada, gave the invocation. Salbashian then introduced Dr. Raffy Hovanessian, the master of ceremonies, who introduced the various speakers.
Nerses Babayan, who was close to the Housepian family, spoke about Dr. Movses Housepian (1876- 1952). He described his service to the Armenian community as a physician in the United States, and his efforts in serving the Armenian volunteer movement during World War I. Later, Housepian became one of the leaders of the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (ADL) and a supporter of the Mirror- Spectator. Babayan exclaimed, “Dr. Movses Hovsepian belongs to a phalanx of dedicated Armenians who readily answered the supreme call of their people.”