Merdinian School Begins Construction of New Building

SHERMAN OAKS — The C & E Merdinian Armenian Evangelical School held a groundbreaking ceremony at 4:00 p.m., on July 8th, to launch construction of the new Bezjian Family Building at its Sherman Oaks campus. This state-of-the-art 6,840 square foot structure replaces the old administration building. It features a library, science laboratory, art room, several classrooms and other facilities to serve the ongoing needs of the school’s growing student population.

The project was made possible through the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Albert and Terry Bezjian of Los Angeles, founders of Indo-European Foods of Glendale, who donated one million dollars to the C & E Merdinian Armenian Evangelical School of Sherman Oaks, California for this purpose.

The ceremony began with opening remarks by Dr. Vahe Nalbandian, Chairman of the Board of Directors, who wholeheartedly thanked Mr. & Mrs. Albert and Terry Bezjian for their support. Rev. Berdj Djambazian, the newly appointed Minister to the Armenian Evangelical Union of North America (AEUNA), prayed for the Lord’s blessing for the project. Dr. Nazareth Darakjian, President of the Armenian Missionary Association of America, Inc. (AMAA), delivered an inspiring message about the importance of an Armenian Evangelical education and quoted from the book of Psalms that “Unless the Lord builds the house, in vain work the builders”. The ceremony concluded with a prayer by Rev. Ron Tovmassian, Moderator of the AEUNA, after which the attendees gathered in the Aram and Anahis D. Boolghoorjian Hall of the School for an informal reception to celebrate the event.

The Board of Directors and Administration of the school are extremely grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Albert Bezjian for this most generous gift. A donation of this magnitude is a testimony to the benefactors’ confidence in the bright future of the school.