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The Children
of Armenia Fund (COAF), a non-profit organization working to
improve the living conditions for village children in
Armenia, hosted its Ninth Annual Holiday Gala on Thursday,
December 13, 2012 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in The
Temple of Dendur in The Sackler Wing. The event was a huge
success as more than 300 longtime friends and supporters
gathered for an unforgettable evening and raised $1.3
million to support of COAF’s programs. Special guests in
attendance included Nathan Lane, Sean Hayes, Victor Garber
and Patricia Field.
For the sixth year in a row, Emmy and Tony Award-winning
actress, Andrea Martin was the master of ceremonies for the
evening. She was also honored for her longtime commitment to
the organization with the COAF Humanitarian Award. Martin
has been a longtime advocate of COAF’s mission in creating
and sustaining opportunities for growth and progress among
children in impoverished rural Armenia. The COAF
Humanitarian Award was created to recognize individuals
doing outstanding work in advocacy and awareness both inside
and outside the organization.
Both Sam and Sylva Simonian and Nathan Lane were also
honored for their philanthropic accomplishments. Sam
Simonian, President and CEO of INET, also founded the TUMO
Center for Creative Technologies in Armenia. TUMO is a
state-of-the-art digital technology center that serves as a
precursor for teens wanting to pursue careers in animation,
video games, web development, and digital video and audio.
Nathan Lane, notably known for his work in film and
television, was also honored for his philanthropic work.
Lane sits on the Board of Trustees for Broadway Cares /
Equity Fights Aids, one of the nation’s leading
industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making
organizations.
The evening also featured performances by children who
traveled to New York from the villages of Armenia where COAF
works. They played traditional Armenian musical instruments
and shared their success stories with those in attendance.
Brian Stokes-Mitchell captivated the crowd with a
performance of “What a Wonderful World” and evening came to
a close after singer Lauriana Mae delivered her rendition of
“The Christmas Song
(Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)”.
The Gala was co-hosted by celebrated artist Michael Aram.
The event also featured both silent and live auctions
conducted by Sotheby’s celebrity auctioneer C. Hugh
Hildesley. The money raised from these auctions will support
the expansion efforts of COAF’s programs to additional
villages. For more information, please visit
http://www.coafkids.org
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