PRESS RELEASE
Fund for Armenian Relief
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Edina N. Bobelian
Tel: (212) 889-5150; Fax: (212) 889-4849
E-mail: edina@farusa.org
Website:

August 24, 2004
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A MOTHER’S LOVE FOR CHILDREN HONORED IN ARMENIA
New York Family Builds a Tribute through the Fund for Armenian Relief

As Gregory Manuelian and Christine Brewster watched the bubbling
enthusiasm among the children running through the new playground,
singing songs on the swings, and bouncing on the seesaw in Yerevan, the
two siblings witnessed a living tribute to the Armenian spirit of their
late mother, Diane Manuelian.

In memory of Diane, Charles Manuelian and family sponsored the
construction of a colorful playground and a two-tiered water fountain
for the children at the Nork Orphanage by the Fund for Armenian Relief
(FAR), a New York-based nonprofit organization with a trusted reputation
and successful 15-year track record of implementing programs in Armenia
and Karabagh. “We chose something meaningful and personal for my
mother,” said Mrs. Brewster. “The playground is tangible; it is to be
used and enjoyed by the children. She would have loved it.”

On August 4, 2004, Gregory Manuelian and Christine Brewster officially
opened the newly constructed playground at the Nork Orphanage. In the
presence of Mrs. Brewster’s two children, Elizabeth and Mark, Archbishop
Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of
America (Eastern) and President of the FAR Board of Directors, Very Rev.
Fr. Arshak Khachatryan, Chancellor of the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin, Simon Balian, FAR Executive Director, Krikor Tatoulian, FAR
Country Director, and Liana Karapetian, the Nork Orphanage Director,
they cut the red ribbon delicately tied across the playground with
scissors proffered on a tray by a young boy and girl dressed in their
Sunday-best.

The opening ceremony, which presented her first opportunity to travel to
the Homeland, “was an emotional, special occasion,” revealed Mrs.
Brewster. “No matter how much one reads about Armenia and talks to
others about their experiences, nothing quite prepares you for the
essence of Armenia, its people and the beautiful countryside,” she said.

The Manuelian family has a long-standing relationship with FAR,
supporting its programs to help the people of Armenia. On this personal
occasion, they again turned to the organization to fulfill their
objective. “FAR has done a beautiful job,” said Gregory Manuelian,
“Armenia needs FAR.”

FAR is a nonprofit organization headquartered in New York, with offices
in Yerevan, Gyumri, and Stepanakert. For 15 years, FAR has implemented
various relief, development, social, educational, and cultural projects
valued at more than $250 million. It remains the preeminent Diasporan
organization operating in Armenia.

For more information or to send donations, interested persons should
contact the Fund for Armenian Relief at 630 Second Avenue, New York, NY
10016; telephone (212) 889-5150, fax (212) 889-4849; ,
far@farusa.org.

— 8/24/04

E-mail photos available upon request.

PHOTO CAPTION 1: By cutting the red ribbon on August 4, 2004, Gregory
Manuelian and Christine Brewster officially opened the Nork Orphanage
playground dedicated to their late mother, Diane Manuelian, as
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of America (Eastern) and President of the Fund for Armenian
Relief Board of Directors, and Mrs. Brewster’s two children, Elizabeth
and Mark, looked on.

PHOTO CAPTION 2: Elizabeth and Mark Brewster traveled to Armenia to
attend the opening ceremony of the playground built by the Fund for
Armenian Relief in memory of their grandmother, Diane Manuelian, at the
Nork Orphanage.

PHOTO CAPTION 3: This girl and boy played an important role in the
August 4 ceremony at the Nork Orphanage – providing the scissors to cut
the ribbon and officially open the new playground dedicated to the
memory of Diane Manuelian.

PHOTO CAPTION 4: After the opening ceremony, this young girl was among
the first to use the new, colorful water fountains in the playground
built by the Fund for Armenian Relief.

PHOTO CAPTION 5: Children at the Nork Orphanage began using the
colorful swings and seesaws in their new playground immediately
following the opening ceremony.