GLENDALE, Calif. — On Sunday, February 4, the Knights of Vartan Los Angeles Tri-Lodge will host a “Vartanantz Gala and Fundraiser” at the Renaissance Banquet Hall in Glendale. One of the many missions of the Knights of Vartan is to ensure the future of Armenia by preserving schools on its borders.
Armenia is faced with an urgent need for educational facilities to accommodate refugee children who, along with their families, were forcibly displaced from their three millennia-old homeland: Artsakh. The Knights of Vartan Los Angeles Tri-Lodge is currently focused on Kindergarten No. 3 in the small border town of Chambarak, Armenia (population 5,800). The local school, which was already overcrowded, has now been overwhelmed by the arrival of refugee children from Artsakh. Chambarak’s generous and kind-hearted residents have demonstrated incredible solidarity by opening their hearts, homes and schools to over six hundred Artsakh refugees.
The Knights of Vartan is committed to the noble task of revitalizing and enlarging Kindergarten No. 3 in Chambarak. The goal is for Artsakh refugees, who have relocated to Chambarak, to stay rooted in Chambarak, thus reinforcing the irrefutable sovereignty of Armenia. Kindergarten No. 3 has three classroom buildings. Two have already been successfully refurbished and updated by the Knights of Vartan into exceptional educational facilities. The third building sits unused. It is in dire need of repairs and upgrades to make it a safe and comfortable place for children to learn and be nurtured. It is our plan to refurbish the third building, providing much-needed classroom space.
Jack Hadjinian, former mayor of Montebello, will serve as the master of ceremonies at this year’s gala to support Kindergarten #3 in Chambarak. Paul Krekorian, Los Angeles City Council President, will serve as keynote speaker. This year’s Vartanantz Gala honoree is Armen Aroyan, a true Armenian patriot and philanthropist. For decades, Aroyan led pilgrimages to Historic Armenia. The renowned expert guided groups to visit the beloved villages of their forefathers.
The Knights of Vartan (Vartanantz Asbedner) is an Armenian fraternal service organization established in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1916. The Knights of Vartan encourage its members to assume leadership roles in cultural, educational, religious and charitable organizations and activities on the local, national and international level for the betterment of the Armenian nation worldwide.
