By Jennifer Marino
The foundation is one of the reasons why Torykian of Rockville Centre is the first recipient of the Marine for Life award in recognition of his devotion to the Marine Corps and his distinguished community service. "Service to our country does not end when you take off the uniform," he said upon receiving the award.
It is given by the Intrepid Foundation of which Torykian is a trustee emeritus. He received the award, which was a Marine Corps sword, on Nov. 7 aboard the USS Intrepid.
"We saw the need to help," said Torykian of the foundation. It is an all volunteer organization, so there is no overhead. All the money that is donated goes to the children. Besides Marine Corps children, the money goes to the children of federal law enforcement agents who work for agencies such as the CIA, the FBI, the Secret Service and US Customs. The money goes towards scholarships and the children's other needs.
Since its establishment, the foundation has given out over $8 million. It holds an annual gala that usually raises $1.5 million at the Plaza hotel in New York.
Besides the foundation, Torykian is a member of the Mercy Medical Center Board of Sponsors and a founding member of the Chaminade Development Fund. He has also been highly involved in the Catholic Church as a Knight of Malta and a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre.
Torykian, his wife, Mary Lou, and their three grown sons, Richard, Eric and James, were all born at Mercy Medical Center.
In addition to his charity work, Torykian is a director of Lazard Freres, an international investment firm and serves as an advisor to the California Highway Patrol, the Secret Service, the CIA and the FBI.
Torykian was a Marine from 1963 to 1967 and earned the rank of captain. He served one tour in Vietnam in 1965 and also spent time in Camp Pendleton in California. Through his service, he made some important friends including General Peter Pace, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the second-highest ranking military officer in the nation.
Also a friend is General James Jones, commander of the U.S. forces in Europe, who gave Torykian the award and the camouflage tuxedo jacket he wore to the ceremony.
Though he did make lifelong friends through the Marines, Torykian calls Vietnam "the worst 13 months of my life." Due to the experience, he said he would "do things differently" in Iraq and thinks the violence needs to end in Israel. "[The children] are the ones who really suffer," he said. So he continues his work in the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation as vice chairman in order to help the children in this country who are suffering.
