My father, Mardig Herculian, was from Anjar, Lebanon, and died there unexpectedly in 2006.
He traveled to Anjar every year, where we still have a house and enjoy time with his relatives. He always returned in October in time for my birthday.
In 2006, he suddenly fell ill and since the war had started with Israel, he was turned away from the hospital.
My cousin called me on a Sunday night and told me that I needed to come now if I wanted to see my father before he died.
By God's grace, my brother, mother, and I were on a flight to Damascus less than 24 hours later and literally walked across the bombed-out border to Lebanon to see my father. My father was alive for another 12 hours before dying in our home that night.
As a lawyer, I am trained to be skeptical and charities are no exception. I was determined to find a charity I could trust to deliver funds to the intended recipients without wasting money. I was fortunate to discover the Society for Orphaned Armenian Relief (SOAR) which I have been personally supporting for over 10 years.
I run 13.1 miles every year to keep my father's memory alive and pay it forward.
All donations from my run will go towards food for Bird's Nest Orphanage in Beirut and the Armenian Evangelical Boarding School in Anjar.
Please consider a donation of any amount; whether you can spare $5 or $50, it all adds up. Prefer to donate via Paypal? Visit here to make your donation via Paypal.
If you can't donate, please consider sharing my fundraiser with others.
Talar Herculian Coursey, SOAR Salt Lake City Chapter President
Established in 2005, the Society for Orphaned Armenian Relief provides humanitarian relief to orphaned Armenian children and adults with disabilities. With over 130 chapters and 600 volunteers worldwide, SOAR is the world's only charitable organization devoted exclusively to helping orphaned Armenian children. SOAR is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and your donation is tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Please visit here to learn more about SOAR's distribution methods and quality control protocol.
ComplyAuto LLC
, |
$5,000.00 |
Varooge Yerganian
San Clemente, CA |
$5,000.00 |
LaDaun Mitchell
SALT LAKE CITY, UT |
$25.00 |
Scott Bieker
New York, NY |
$50.00 |
Victoria Shuken
Woodland Hills, CA |
$1,000.00 |
Misty Leon
Dallas, TX |
$26.01 |
Evan Benjamin
Jersey City, NJ |
$30.00 |
David Marshall
Fayetteville, NY |
$25.00 |
Richard Amador
Los Angeles, CA |
$400.00 |
Yev Taylor
Napa, CA |
$50.00 |
Chris Coursey
Santa Rosa, CA |
$50.00 |
Jennifer Jennings
St. Louis, MO |
$25.00 |
Diana Reid
Livonia, MI |
$50.00 |
Melanie Hakimipour
, |
$10.70 |
Susan and Scott Snavely
Odessa, TX |
$100.00 |
Edgar Grigorian
Sandy, UT |
$100.00 |
Sevak Estepanian
Orangevale, CA |
$50.00 |
Heather Stevenson
Needham, MA |
$50.00 |
Sam Abrahamian
Pasadena, CA |
$100.00 |
Kristel Borsos
Herriman, UT |
$100.00 |
Christopher Dickerson
New York, NY |
$50.00 |
Taleene Karamardian
irvine, CA |
$100.00 |
Melanie Vartabedian
Salt Lake City , UT |
Anonymous |
Steven Joseph
Hoboken, NJ |
$25.00 |
Anonymous |
Anonymous |
John Lindsey
Leland, NC |
$50.00 |
Veta Richardson
Cheverly, MD |
$100.00 |
Terry Faber
CASTLE PINES, CO |
$100.00 |
Anonymous |
Anonymous |
Larissa Whittingham
Bentonville, AR |
$100.00 |
George S Yacoubian Law Offices of George S. Yacoubian Jr., LLC
Devon, PA |
$100.00 |
Shannon Coursey
New York, NY |
$50.00 |
Jessica Cicali
Glanmoore, PA |
$200.00 |
Howard Franco Jr
Vista, CA |
$50.00 |
Ben Shen
Aliso Viejo, CA |
$100.00 |
Maria Benneian
Studio City , CA |
Anonymous |
Gwen Griggs
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL |
$50.00 |
Jennifer Deal
Atlanta, GA |
$50.00 |
Michael Alty
Toronto, ON |
$50.00 |
Bob Miller
Lake Forest, CA |
$250.00 |
Zach Tucker
Grand Junction, CO |
$25.00 |
Vahan Mahdasian
Boston, MA |
Anonymous |
Silva Haladjian
Forest Hill, VIC |
$50.00 |
Daniel Cotter
Chicago, IL |
$275.00 |
Anonymous |
$50.00 |
Fatima Bolyea
Washington Twp., MI |
$30.00 |
Mr and Mrs Raffi Jehanian
Newtown Square, PA |
$50.00 |
Anonymous |
Anonymous |
John Colgan
Valatie , NY |
$25.00 |
Maria Geanopulos
Montvale , NJ |
$25.00 |
Brian Glass
Fairfax, VA |
$100.00 |
Jessica Medina
Springfield, VA |
$30.00 |
Bob Coursey
Salt Lake City, UT |
$500.00 |
Rana Afeiche
Fort Worth, TX |
$25.00 |
Michael Thaxton Thaxton and Associates
Studio City , CA |
Anonymous |
Shane Armani
Porter Ranch, CA |
$100.00 |
David Edgar
Cranberry Twp, PA |
$300.00 |
Kevin Hyer
Goochland, VA |
$12.50 |
Jay Wang
Campbell, CA |
Anonymous |
Katie Thomas
SLC, UT |
$20.00 |
Mireya Llaurado
Corona del Mar, CA |
$100.00 |
Daniel Cotter
Chicago, IL |
$200.00 |
Lisa Saunders
LADERA RANCH, CA |
Anonymous |
Joseph English
Atlanta, GA |
Anonymous |
Krista Regan
Lansing , MI |
$25.00 |
Vahan Mahdasian
Boston, MA |
Anonymous |
peggy baghdikian
Montebello, CA |
$50.00 |
Maryann Billington
Salt Lake City, UT |
$100.00 |
Roula Gerguis
Bellaire, TX |
$150.00 |
Olivia Vizachero
Allen Park, MI |
$100.00 |
Laure Abrahamian
Montebello, CA |
$50.00 |
Brooke Love
Boston, MA |
$50.00 |
Sydney Leung
Woodside, CA |
$500.00 |
Vahan Mahdasian
Boston, MA |
Anonymous |
Karina Sargsian
Sandy, UT |
$100.00 |
Lisa Niser
Chicago, IL |
$50.00 |
James McDonald
Lakewood Ranch, FL |
$100.00 |
Greg McCollister
Roswell, GA |
$50.00 |
John Colgan
Valatie, NY |
$50.00 |
Saira Pasha
Schaumburg, IL |
$50.00 |
Erin Nave
Denver, CO |
$50.00 |
Hillary Sobel
New York, NY |
$108.00 |
Michelle Banks
San Francisco, CA |
$500.00 |