Come Home To Ararat
Every organization has a story. Ours began in 1978 with a few volunteers, a scouting troop, and a soccer team in Glendale.
The Sevak Saginian Homenetment Glendale Ararat Heritage Center is where that story is told. It’s a modern, multimedia exhibit space on the second floor of Ararat’s Main Campus, with permanent and evolving exhibits on how Ararat grew from a small group of volunteers into one of the largest chapters of Homenetmen.
In 2018, Ararat marked its 40th Anniversary. To commemorate it Ararat’s Executive Board launched the Heritage Center Project. A dedicated committee spent nearly two years building it, and the Center opened in December 2018. It was designed to be welcoming to members and non-members alike, with an interactive, hands-on feel where young people can learn about Ararat’s history and achievements.
The Center honors the late Yeghpayr Sevak Saginian, whose contributions in Ararat’s early uncertain years were essential to its founding and survival.
Ararat has been shaped by generations of volunteers, athletes, scouts, and families. The Heritage Center preserves their work, recognizes their contributions, and helps today’s members see themselves as part of something bigger. For newcomers, it’s a quick way to understand what Ararat is and where it came from. For longtime members, it’s a chance to see their own chapter of the story.
Visit
Homenetmen Glendale Ararat Heritage Center is located at 3347 N. San Fernando Road, Los Angeles,
and is open to visitors during Ararat’s regular business hours.
1921–2003
A Cherished Pillar of Homenetmen Glendale Ararat
The Homenetmen Ararat Chapter Heritage Center is named in memory of Yeghpayr Sevak Saginian to honor his invaluable role in establishing, promoting the stature, and providing priceless and critical stability to Homenetmen Glendale Ararat Chapter during the initial foundational years. Y. Sevak is also remembered for his vital contributions to the Armenian Community and Ararat Cultural Organization in Iran, which today is an integral part of Homenetmen’s worldwide family.
Early Years
Born on September 22, 1921 in Tehran, Iran, Yeghpayr Sevak Saginian was one of four children to Zora and Sandoukht Saginian. He received his primary education at the Armenian Haykazian school and later attended the American College of Business. He entered military service, graduating from the Armed Forces University, after which Y. Sevak attended Tehran University and graduated with a degree in economics. After receiving his graduate law degree, he practiced law for a short period before entering public service as a member of the parliament.
As a young student, he joined AYF and later became a full-fledged member of ARF. Growing up in a nationalistic and patriotic family, Y. Sevak exhibited a great desire to participate in volunteer community services and public and social activities from a young age. He became a key active member and later a director of the highly respected and esteemed Tehran Ararat Cultural Organization. He was instrumental in advancement and preservation of Ararat Organization through difficult times and then the securing of the property rights to Ararat’s major Sports and Cultural complex in Tehran, which to this day is one of the largest of its kind in the Middle East, if not the world.
Y. Sevak married Ms. Nelly Osepians in 1955. The couple was blessed with three daughters, Catherine, Melineh and Ani.
Political Life
From 1956 through 1979, Y. Sevak served in the Iranian Supreme Parliament as the Representative of Northern Iran Armenians. He was a staunch and hands-on supporter of his constituent Armenian community and their needs, especially the underprivileged, successfully lobbying to provide basic necessities such as running water, electricity and medical supplies to Armenian neighborhoods and remote villages. He was also a strong advocate of the Armenian youth and worked hard to develop programs to keep them away from negative influences and defend them under, as well as from, the Iranian legal system. As part of his broad and invaluable community service to Iran’s Armenian Community, Y. Sevak also served as a member of Tehran’s Prelacy Council for many years and participated in several ARF General Meetings. He had a major role in preservation of the Armenian Prelacy schools and organizations and assisted in securing government funding for renovation and preservation of churches.
Homenetmen & Ararat Chapter
In 1979, Y. Sevak moved to the United States and established residency in Glendale, California with his family. He continued his active involvement and service to the local Armenian community. Shortly after the founding of the Glendale Chapter, Y. Sevak was appointed as the Director of the Chapter in 1979 and served in this vital role until his retirement in 1993. His role in providing stability, continuity and community trust were instrumental during the critical founding years of the Chapter, when many members included new immigrants who had to be acquainted with and accustomed to Homenetmen. As a long-time decorated scout, he also served as an Executive Board member of the BSA’s Verdugo Hills Council.
In 1991 Y. Sevak received the Homenetmen Western Region’s Exemplary Member Award during the 16th Navasarian games. For his contributions to Homenetmen, he received Homenetmen’s “Dzarayoutian” Medal and in 1994 received Homenetmen’s Highest “Arjanyaths” Medal for his lifetime service to the organization. In 1996, Y. Sevak was one of the first recipients of the Ararat Chapter’s Lifetime Honorary member title.
Y. Sevak Saginian passed away on October 9, 2003 in Glendale.
