'Doc' Bedrosian honored at Armenian flag-raising ceremony

Warwick Beacon ·

The Armenian National Committee of RI (ANC-RI) gathered April 28 at Warwick City Hall for a flag raising ceremony honoring the 1.5 million Armenian Martyrs (Saints) and those that survived the Ottoman Turkish Government's attempt to cleanse the Armenians of their ancestral homeland of close to 3,000 years.

Mayor Scott Avedisian was the host and served as the emcee, in the 2nd largest city in Rhode Island. A nice crowd gathered at the City Council Chambers where Der Kapriel Nazarian of Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Church began the evening with an opening prayer. Mayor Avedisian asked Sevan Donoian to speak on behalf of the ANC-RI. Former elected official Aram Garabedian, who has been present at all of these types of ANC-RI events for decades then shared his comments.

Citations from numerous elected officials were presented by Mayor Avedisian to the evening's honoree, Peter "Doc" Bedrosian, who was humbled for being chosen to represent the Armenians of Warwick.

Mayor Avedisian spoke of Doc's life's accomplishments as an owner of a factory, and especially of his involvement with the Armenian Youth Federation and Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Church. State Representative Katherine Kazarian echoed Mayor Avedisian's comments about Doc. She said he is a great person who has always been there for her since she decided to run for office as a young woman. Doc shared his thoughts of gratitude toward the committee and thanked those that helped him reach his goals.

The flag raising then took place followed by a closing prayer from Arch Priest Gomidas Baghsarian of Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Church.

Refreshments followed in the mayor's office, putting a close to the ANC-RI flag raising ceremonies for 2017.