If I were a kid again, I’d like to spend my summer at Camp Haiastan. I’d drop a fishing line into Uncas Pond and rekindle my friendship with others from around the country.
Two weeks could hardly suffice. I’d ask my parents to keep me there all summer and settle for an additional two weeks.
It never used to be that way, of course. My first introduction, like many others, was filled with trepidation. I wanted to leave after the first week. By the second week, I wanted them to leave—without me.
Sound familiar? It’s the age-old quest that has kept this institution sterling for six decades and counting. I was a camper there way back when, then a counselor. I’ve addressed the campers over my latter years and have maintained a conscious tie with the camp.
More recently, I spent a few days there with my cherished ungers during a Gomideh Paragoum. It was like being a kid all over again.
My daughter shared her experience there. Unlike my two sons who ventured off to Boy Scout camp, she turned out all the better for it as an Armenian. And now when a group of adults get together and talk about the good old AYF days, Camp Haiastan invariably turns up.
Times have changed. So have the generations. But the camp remains steadfast while keeping up with the times. Much of its current success is due to the likes of such men as Pete Jelalian, who spent 33 years as Camp Haiastan and retired in 2009, replaced for the second year by Margo Dinkjian.
Hard to believe there have been 30 barons to pass through the ranks, and to each of them a debt of gratitude must be paid. It all started with K. Merton Bozoian (Uncle Bozo), a legend in his own right.
As executive director for the eighth year, Roy Callan has done an impeccable job in keeping the embers burning. No easy job, taking over the helm from dutiful Bob Avakian. After 21 years, his time had come to pass the baton.
People like Harry Chantikian and the late Gilbert Nercesian invested in the future of this camp and never hesitated to answer the call. They weren’t alone.
Says Callan, “It’s a stimulating experience to work with such passionate Board members. We’ve accomplished so much over my tenure. Bob’s passionate work and care for this camp throughout his life is an important reason why it has achieved such meritorious status. His wife Zabel was always by his side.”
Having the opportunity to work with daughter Knar for three of those years must have been a bonus for Callan, serving as head counselor for two years and as an associate director the third under Jelalian.
But it’s not so much the leadership that has bolstered this entity as much as the scores of campers who trekked along. Just ask people like Greg and Christine Krikorian. They met there as counselors, raised their family the Armenian way, and their children had worked as counselors.
What goes around, comes around. That’s been the elixir. Foundations are built upon sweat and boundless energy. This has been no exception.
For openers, a new pool launched the new century, replacing the one I swam in 50 years ago. A new teen session was introduced, along with a day camp for five to seven year-olds. The waterfront has received extensive work, greeting an influx of new crafts. The Hye Hope Pavilion is a welcoming addition. So, too, is the renovated deck, outdoor lighting enhancements, a new cabin this year, and renovated basketball court. Suffice it to say, it has met and exceeded all standards of operation.
The Armenian Relief Society (ARS) and the Armenian Youth Foundation (AYF) continue to remain a prominent source of funding and support. ARS members from throughout New England have been invited to prepare dinners at the camp, further accentuating their contributions.
Of the 350 campers expected to converge this season upon Franklin, at least 30 percent have only one Armenian parent, while many have no association with the AYF. For them, it’s their first experience with the Armenian heritage.
The inception of Hye Time activities has paid dividends. Lecturers make weekly visits to share their expertise. Campers also avail themselves to a Preference Day, which covers everything from music and dancing to language and cooking.
Armenian School at camp puts the fire in their bellies.
“In a nutshell, our core objective is the education of our campers in all things Armenian,” Callan tells us. “It’s done in an informal camping environment where inquiry, discovery, and exploration are the vehicles. There is never a fear of not being Armenian enough.”
Tom Vartabedian
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As a former Director of two AYF Camp sessions in the Angeles National Forest in California a number of years ago, I was happy to hear that Camp Haiastan on the east coast is alive and well as are the two Armenian camps–Diocese Church Camp and AYF Camp– on the west coast.
Your article needs to reach many Armenian parents to encourage them to enroll their children in an Armenian Camp this summer. My granddaughter went unwillingly at first, but every summer she looks forward to the experience. The commraderie, the education, the memorable activities help build character and instill that intangeable Armenian spirit.