Balancing Act
Can two ancient cultures and religions coexist in one identity?
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April 08, 2010
Young Professionals of Los Angeles Spend the Day at Ararat Home
Mission Hills, CA - On March 27, 2010, more than twenty young professionals visited Ararat Home in Mission Hills, California, to spend the day with the residents at the Board & Care Assisted Living Center. Yeghig Keshishian, Steering Committee member of YPLA, organized the event in an effort to widen the reach of young professionals throughout the community.
“Many of our members expressed interest in more volunteer activities, so we thought spending the day at Ararat Home would be a nice way to give back to our seniors,” explained Keshishian.
Volunteers were greeted by residents and Ararat Home staff members who were excited about the day. The morning was spent doing arts and crafts, sharing pictures, and listening to memorable stories. One lucky volunteer was challenged to an intense game of Backgammon. YP volunteers also had the chance to get to know one another over lunch and the group later reconvened in the afternoon for some competitive Bingo.
This is the first of many unique volunteer opportunities YPLA has lined up for the year. “The importance of civic engagement should not be understated. We as a community, and a culture, continue to thrive in the U.S. because of the active involvement of our parents’ and grandparents’ generations who oversaw the creation of a number of vital organizations for the Armenian Diaspora,” stated Keshishian. “Having a chance to give back to some of those, including the Ararat Home, is both a memorable and enjoyable experience for us. I would like to thank the Board of Trustees of the Ararat Home as well as the diligent efforts of the staff there, for making this event possible.”
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
Reported by Aleen L. Khanjian
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