Camp Haiastan Hosts Volunteers during ‘Work Day and Stay Weekend’

By Michael Shamlian

How many times have you said you would love to go back to Camp Haiastan? Well, on a beautiful spring weekend, more than 45 volunteers came out to support the Camp Haiastan Work Day and Stay Weekend, and had the opportunity to make that wish come true! Due to popular demand, the Camp Board of Directors organized this weekend to give both families and individuals the chance to relive their time at camp while helping to prepare the grounds and facilities for the coming camping season.

The participants ranged in age from our senior member, Alan Alemian, a second year (1952) Camp Haiastan camper, to some toddlers who were just starting to create their Camp Haiastan memories. The volunteers included several families, some staff alumni, and local community supporters and their children. Work tasks consisted of general spring clean-up and landscaping, installation of new Cabin Circle bricks, tree removal, spreading of sand and stone, clean-up of the up-top office and board room, decking repairs, power washing, interior sanitizing and window washing, and other maintenance as required.

The Camp Board would like to give special thanks to Pearlene and Harut Varjabedian, as well as Margo Dinkjian for donating and preparing all of the delicious food that filled the volunteers’ porigs and kept them energized throughout the weekend. The Varjabedians donated and prepared the breakfast and lunch on Saturday and Sunday, as well as the dinner salad on Saturday. Please be sure to visit the Varjabedians at their newly opened Olive Market & Deli at 92 Park Ave. in Belmont, Mass. for Mediterranean appetizers, sandwiches, salads, pre-prepared foods, and groceries if you are in the area; their number is (617) 484-1780. Digin Margo donated and prepared a delicious grilled chicken and pilaf meal for the troops on Saturday night. All of the food was amazing and really made the weekend complete.

It wasn’t all about work, of course. Volunteers had plenty of free time to catch up with friends and play some tavloo. There was even a bonfire in the amphitheater on Saturday night complete with smores! My favorite part of the weekend was watching eight-year-olds Raffi Lachinian and Arek Douglas start a friendship that will hopefully carry into the first session this year and continue to grow for years to come. Seeing them using bread from the kitchen to fish off the dock took me back to my early days at camp, in the dark ages (mid-1970’s). The magic of Camp Haiastan continues…

In overview, the majority of the projects on a very long list were completed, everyone ate some delicious food, and they even managed to have a great time while making some new Camp Haiastan memories. If all of the volunteers spread the word about how much fun can be had while doing such hard work, the next work weekend that is organized will be even more successful.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to thank all of the volunteers for their hard work. The Camp looks fantastic thanks to all of your efforts. I hope that you all enjoy your summer and that I will see you at camp this season so you can show off your handiwork.

In the meantime, enjoy some photos from the Official Photographer of the Work Weekend, Garo Lachinian, as well as some cell phone shots from volunteers.