NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — Friends and supporters of the Armenian EyeCare Project (AECP) came together on November 23, 2024, at the Balboa Bay Resort here for the organization’s annual gala. The evening is an opportunity for guests to enjoy themselves with friends and family over dinner and drinks while raising money for a cause they believe in: eliminating preventable blindness in Armenia and making quality eye care accessible to every child and adult in the country. This has been AECP’s mission in Armenia since it was founded in 1992 by Dr. Roger Ohanesian, dedicating over 30 years of service in the country toward this goal since that time.
The goal for this year’s gala was to raise enough funds for AECP to be able to open a new eye clinic in the Kotayk province of Armenia, a region in the country that currently has no eye care facility despite the more than 250,000 residents living there. Recognizing the immense need, guests enthusiastically raised their bid paddles and exceeded the goal, allowing AECP to develop the much-needed clinic. The energy in the air was electric, and there was a huge celebration when the goal was met.
The upcoming clinic in Kotayk will be AECP’s fifth Diagnostic Eye Clinic in Armenia since the nonprofit’s campaign to fund the eye exam clinics began in 2022. The other four clinics include 1) the Jirair S. and Elizabeth Hovnanian Diagnostic Eye Clinic located in Martuni and sponsored by the Jirair S. and Elizabeth Hovnanian Family Foundation; 2) the Don H. and Vardi Vanitzian Diagnostic Eye Clinic located in Armavir and sponsored by the Vanitzian family; 3) the Talin Regional Diagnostic Eye Clinic located in Talin and sponsored by Latter-day Saint Charities and 4) the John and Tanya Hovanesian Diagnostic Eye Clinic located in Ararat and sponsored by Dr. John and Tanya Hovanesian.
Two Foundations Honored
While raising money to continue its sight-saving initiatives, AECP also honored two foundations that have been extraordinarily supportive of the organization’s efforts in Armenia: World Diabetes Foundation (WDF) and the Jirair S. and Elizabeth Hovnanian Family Foundation.
World Diabetes Foundation was highlighted at AECP’s Gala as its Corporate Honoree of the Year due to its years-long partnership with the foundation. AECP Country Director Dr. Nune Yeghiazaryan, who works closely with WDF in Armenia, delivered touching remarks about the foundation and its impact in the country at AECP’s event.
