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November 24, 2009
Young Professionals of California Unite at Lake Isabella
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Members of the Young Professionals of Los Angeles and Northern California enjoy a weekend at Lake Isabella.
Los Angeles - Between October 23 and October 25, 2009, 25 Young Professionals from the YP Los Angeles and YP Northern California chapters of the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) left their respective big cities and met in Kernville, California, for a weekend of "roughing it" with their peers. The "Armos in the Wild" weekend included traditional activities such as bonfires, camping under the stars and a full kebab dinner, as well as opportunities to go kayaking, mountain biking, and participating in a guided tour of the sequoia trees, for which the region is famous.
"The goal of this trip was to really join forces with other young professionals from across the state, in hopes of future collaborative efforts among young Armenians throughout California," stated Sevana Melikian (YPLA), organizer of the "Armos in the Wild" weekend. "Many of our events are local. We felt that spending a weekend under the stars, in the middle of California, would be a nice way to do something a little different and appreciate the natural beauty of the state." Narine Zardarian, Chair of YPLA, included, "Whether people already knew each other, or met in Kernville that Friday, it was apparent that by Sunday morning, memories were made and bonds were formed. While we were a small group, the campers represented a diverse cross section of the Armenian community and that was probably the single greatest accomplishment of this getaway."
The California young professionals hope this weekend will become an annual tradition and give birth to more collaborative projects. Generous sponsors for the weekend included Steve Hampar (of the AGBU Southern California District Committee), Starbucks, Trader Joe's, and the Ralphs and Albertson's Grocery Stores.
YPLA is the Los Angeles Chapter of the AGBU Young Professionals--a growing network of individuals, between the ages of 22 and 40, who individually and collectively mirror the AGBU's mission to preserve and promote Armenian identity and heritage by adding dimensions to the lives of young professional Armenians through educational, cultural, social and humanitarian programs.
YPLA puts on monthly activities including social-networking and professional career-building events, signature weekend getaways, hiking and camping trips, international video-conferences, service-oriented activities targeted toward Armenian youth, benefit events, as well as casual get-togethers, where up to 250 young Armenians can come together to exchange ideas and get to know each other better. YPLA is always looking for individuals who would like to volunteer their time either as a board member or on an event-by-event basis. For more information on how to get involved with YPLA, please contact: agbu.ypla@gmail.com.
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