It all started in the summer of 2010 when we, Maykil Berksanlar,
Ohannes Torosian, Levon Celikian and Dickran Kurian joined OIA Social Events Committee and had the opportunity to look back and remember what we used to do in the good old days of YGIA. Over time, we were lucky enough to get elected into the OIA Executive Board and decided that we wanted to reactivate YGIA as soon as possible since it had been an unforgettable experience for many of us. It was where we took our baby steps in learning ”the pleasure of serving”, “the pleasure of giving back to our community”, and most importantly “serving the Armenian nation”.
We decided on holding our first meeting on September 14, 2011 at the new OIA Center on Sherman Way. Through the help of our good friend from the Ladies Auxillary, Ani Duhancioglu, she was able to put together a great flyer to start bringing recognition to the YGIA group that was being brought back. Plus opened up a facebook page for the group.
As the date came closer and we started preparing more vigorously for this meeting we approached Kurken Berksanlar, former president and founding member of YGIA and current member of OIA Board of Trustees, to give his opening remarks at this first meeting in order to create a new generation of interest. We then went to the home of the former YGIA founder and first president, Onnik Garavaryans and asked him for his advice and wisdom in how to approach this old, but new goal.
Finally the date arrived for our first meeting and we all waited anxiously to see who will show up to be a part of the new YGIA which was so dear to all of our hearts. We had a great bunch of kids show up and want to be a part of something that their parents had once been part of as well. Dickran opened the floor with the conversation, Kurken brought in the history and it had taken off from there. There were fireworks in front of our eyes when watching this new generation move forward into further developing something that we had started so long ago. We all truly felt blessed and excited by the occasion…
Our New YGIA Committee Members
Ari Huveserian (Chairman)
Nishan Berksanlar (Vice Chairman)