The Montrose Peace Vigil participants at the 2023 Montrose Christmas Parade
BY CATHERINE YESAYAN
From Vietnam to Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Ukraine, to the war in Artsakh and, now, in Gaza. It seems the world is on fire and wars have become a regular part of our lives. Indeed, the events unfolding in today’s world are very disheartening.
When I was a kid growing up in Tehran, there was no notion of a war. However, after watching war movies, in my childish daydreams, I used to imagine that maybe, one day, there would be a war where I lived and the “enemy” would invade.
My parent’s bedroom had a short bedside chest that I had planned to hide in, in case there was a war and the bad guys were to enter our home.
Now, because of all the disturbing things happening in today’s world, who knows what fears kids may have nowadays?
George Eliot, an English novelist, once said, “Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.”
One “small thing,” that may help in times of war, to some degree, are peace vigils—typically organized by small action groups. One such example, here in Southern California, is the Montrose Peace Vigil.
First, let me tell you about the enclave of Montrose, a historic old town neighborhood in North Glendale. The area is known as the La Crescenta Valley. The business district of Montrose centers around its main street, Honolulu Avenue.
The “Peace Vigil” in Montrose was launched in 2006. The main aim of the initiative was to protest the war in Iraq, which had started three years earlier. Following the end of the Iraq War, the organization continued its effort and staged vigils to oppose various wars happening in the world.
Every Friday, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., members of the Montrose Peace Vigil gather, with their placards, at the northwest corner of Honolulu and Ocean View Blvd. to protest the ongoing wars.
Although the peace vigil is very close to my heart, over these many years, I’ve had the chance to participate in the weekly vigil on only a few occasions.
The Montrose Peace Vigil is the brainchild of Roberta Medford, who, when asked how the idea came about, said she was inspired by a similar vigil that had begun a few years earlier in Glendale.
The reason I started this piece by spotlighting the peace vigil is because they took part in the Montrose Christmas Parade, which I attended.
The Montrose Christmas Parade was created 45 years ago in an effort to bring the Christmas spirit to the local community.
Roberta is a woman brimming with enthusiasm and joy. She said that being included in the Montrose Christmas Parade took some negotiations and work, but finally, in 2008, the group was invited to participate in the parade.
Some of the very creative members of the peace vigil got together and, using large pieces of cardboard, built a little two-caboose train with a motor and music streaming— they called it the “Peace Train.”
The Christmas Parade is held on the first Saturday in December, typically a very cold night. This year marked the 12th year that the Montrose Peace Vigil participated in the parade.
Every year, in early November, I receive a save-the-date email from Roberta in regard to the Montrose Christmas Parade. I try to participate as often as I can. I love being in the parade as well as being a spectator.
Roberta lives within walking distance of the parade route. Each year, she invites the peace vigil participants to her home and offers hearty refreshments prior to joining the parade, which starts at 6:10 p.m. The group typically leaves for the parade around 5 p.m.
This year, around 150 groups took part in the parade, which focuses heavily on family. The groups included several schools from surrounding cities with drill teams, bands, and cheerleading groups. Also, many service and dance groups, as well as Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts participated in the parade. Thousands of spectators gathered along the parade route.
The parade marks the start of the Christmas season in our neck of the woods, and a highlight of the event is when Santa Clause visits by helicopter.
There were several groups that I found fascinating, such as the folkloric Mexican dance groups and the school marching bands. But I was especially delighted when I saw two Armenian groups participating in the parade.
The first group I noticed was the Armenian General Athletic Union, or Homenetmen, “Shant” Chapter from the La Crescenta Valley. Members of the organization’s scouting and athletics youth programs were in attendance. The group consisted of 50 scouts, a few athletes, and about 30 parents.
The Homenetmen “Shant” chapter of La Crescenta was established in 1993. The chapter has over 600 members, including athletes, scouts, and volunteers from many age groups.
In the Western Region of the United States, there are 18 Homenetment chapters. Most of those chapters are located in Southern California.
The other Armenian group that participated in this year’s parade was the “Dance with Ani Studio.” The parade committee had invited the dance group to participate with 30 female performers, from seven to 13 years old. They were all very delighted to be there and to dance in the parade.
This concludes my report on the Montrose Christmas Parade.
Catherine Yesayan is a regular contributor to Asbarez, with her columns appearing under the “Community Links” heading. She can be reached at [email protected].