On June 23, 2016, the girls and staff at Mer Hooys shared a warm welcome with visitors from the Western and Eastern Dioceses, and from Jerusalem.  Board members, Adrienne Krikorian, Varouj Altebarmakian and his wife Lena, Dr. Garo Garibian and his wife Cecelia from Philadelphia, along with Father Hovel Ohanyan from Oakland’s St. Vartan Armenian Church, and Father Hakop Gevorgyan and his wife Anna from Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church of Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, welcomed visiting clergy from Jerusalem, benefactors Hovhaness and Nazig Kutnerian of Fresno, and sponsors Sarkis and Ruth Bedevian of New Jersey and John and Denise Hess of Philadelphia.  

The guests enjoyed a tour of the facility, refreshments, and a lively musical and dance performance from the residents and a few of the alumnae of the program.  In addition, they had the chance to meet the eight new girls who will join Mer Hooys at the end of summer, along with some of their parents.  Two of the young girls who have shown an interest in music performed piano duets for the guests.  In closing the entertainment, the group sang the new Mer Hooys theme song composed by executive director Mihran Mirijanyan.  The afternoon was one of joy and hope, reflecting the successes of the program to date, and the hope for a beautiful future for the newer young girls joining the program.