Providence ARF Holds 5th Annual ‘Panagoum’ at Camp Haiastan

Continuing a well-established tradition, the Providence ARF “Kristapor” Gomidehoutiun held its 5th annual Panagoum at Camp Haiastan over Columbus Day Weekend.

The weekend began on Friday night with dinner, the first of “Gourmet Chef” Hagop Donoyan’s feasts, and was followed by a movie, the full-feature film “Lost and Found in Armenia.” The night ended around a bon fire, which took the chill out of the air, and was the first of many opportunities for the ungers to engage in lengthy discussions on all aspects of the ARF and the community.

On Saturday, the best eggs and soudjouk were served, followed by a scavenger hunt through the woods and grounds, which was then followed by a group discussion. The topics covered were the role of fraxias, youth engagement, and the church community. Also on Saturday, a slide show was presented by Raffi Rachdouni, who has served as a counselor at Camp Javakhk over the past two summers. A lively tavloo tournament took place, before the second group discussion on the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and other Hai Tahd matters, both national and international.

After dinner, the traditional and highly anticipated Armenian jeopardy contest was the night’s activity. It provided a chance for the ungers to compete as teams, learn more about the selected topics, and have some fun. Another bonfire took place later that night, which ended at 3:30 a.m., an hour earlier than the night before.

Continuing in the Providence Panagoum traditions, Sunday was “family day,” and the ungers’ families joined the members of the gomidehoutin for the meal, a masterfully prepared menu that included beef tips, pilaf, and fixings—Unger “Chef” Hagop’s final culinary presentation.

Providence pride

Our membership is a dedicated group of ungers who work as a tightly knit team. This is clear to those that witness how we work within our community, and through our groundbreaking initiatives. The camaraderie and strong bond between all of the ungers is a great source of pride for the Providence “Kristapor” Gomidehoutiun. On the professional side, our membership includes engineers, bankers, mechanics, teachers, artists, government functionaries, and sales and marketing experts.

Everyone left the camp that weekend with a strong feeling of the Dashnagtsagan spirit and renewed energy, which can only mean encouraging news for the future of the ARF within the Rhode Island area.