FRANKLIN, Mass.—Camp Haiastan held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Bath/Shower Facility on Aug. 14, at the site of the new building. The new bath-shower facility will be located between the infirmary and the Cabin Circle. More than fifty people attended the event, which took place the same day as the Sts. Vartanantz (Providence, R.I) Church picnic. Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Father Gomidas Baghsarian, and Father Kapriel Nazarian were in attendance to say an opening prayer and bless the ground of the new $600,000 building.
Surpazan Oshagan Choloyan officiates the blessing of the ground with assistance from Der Gomidas Baghsarian and Der Kapriel Nazarian. Executive Director David Hamparian is holding a ceremonial shovel with dirt from the site
Opening remarks were given by Master of Ceremonies and Camp Haiastan Board of Director’s member, Michael Bahtiarian. Remarks on behalf of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Eastern Region Central Committee were given by Levon Attarian, a member of the ARF Eastern Region Central Committee and the ARF representative to the Camp Board. Steve Mesrobian, Treasurer of Camp Haiastan’s Board of Directors, spoke about the large fundraising effort needed to pay for this project and all of the recent infrastructure improvements. Michael Guzelian offered remarks on behalf of all the donors including the Armenian Youth Foundation, his family, and especially his Aunt Nancy Guzelian. Guzelian also spoke and encouraged all of us to bring new friends to the Camp. Camp’s Executive Director David Hamparian spoke about the long road we have walked and the hard work it took to get to near completion of this project.
David Hamparian helps Nancy Guzelian get the ceremonial first shovel of dirt along with Stepan Kanarian, Armen Meguerditchian, and Michael Guzelian
The bath-shower building will consist of new boy’s and girl’s bathrooms, washstands, and shower facilities meeting all state and national building codes. It will incorporate school-grade bathroom fixtures and a state-of-the-art hot water heating system. The design is by Symmes, Maini & McKee Associates (SMMA), an architecture and engineering firm located in Cambridge, Mass. SMMA is headed by long time Camp parent and friend Ara Krafian, PE, whose firm provided significant technical assistance for the Expand and Renew program. Camp has contracted with A. Autiello Construction of Cranston, Rhode Island. Construction will start in late August with completion before the 2017 camping season.
This project would have never materialized without the generous support of many of our Camp Haiastan friends and family especially Dikran Meguerditchian, Nancy Guzelian, the Armenian Youth Foundation, and the United Armenian Charities/Dadourian Family Trust. The event closed with an official groundbreaking by the principal donors and Baron Hamparian.
Chairman of the Camp Haiastan Board of Directors, Mark Alashaian, commented, “Expand and Renew has been a very long and tedious project for the Camp which started almost seven years ago. The entire Board is very proud to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. We would like to congratulate our Executive Director, David Hamparian, on bringing this project to completion. “Most importantly, notes Alashaian, we know the campers are going to just love the new facilities which will be ready for our 67th camping season in 2017!”
Camp Haistan Board attending the groundbreaking (L to R) Steve Mesrobian, Raffi Varjabedian , Michael Bahtiarian, Levon Attarian and Executive Director David Hamparian
If you are interested in donating to Camp Haiastan’s general fund or the Expand and Renew fund for this project, contact Mr. David Hamparian, Executive Director 508 520-1312 (year around office) or email at info@camphaiastan.org.
Source: Armenian Weekly
Link: Groundbreaking for New Bath-Shower Facility Held at Camp Haiastan