August 21, 2019

On Saturday, July 6, 2019, fifty AGBU-AYA Scouts from Southern California embarked on a two-week historic journey to Armenia. It was the first time in the 30+ years history of Southern California’s scouting program that both Pasadena-Glendale and LA-SFV troops went to camp at AGBU’s Camp Antranik in the scenic region of Lori.

At AGBU’s Camp Antranik, the US troops were joined by troops from Lebanon, Armenia and Argentina, which allowed AGBU youth to build new brotherhoods and sisterhoods with their fellow AGBU scouts and understand scouting movements in different parts of the world. As with every camp, a family visitation day was organized, which was filled with dances and songs familiar to everyone. The Scouts performed their skits after Kharouyg and at the end performed the symbolic song of “Arakastanav” that emphasized the importance of the friendships the scouts built at camp, which they will cherish forever.

While AGBU’s Camp Antranik was the focal point of the trip, the visit was filled with more than just camp and camp activities. The scouts not only engaged in touristic activities, but also philanthropic ones as they made their way around different parts of Armenia to help with planting trees, renovating schools, and donating needed items to locals.

The first week of the visit to the motherland consisted of the scouts visiting all the historic sites in Armenia and participating in planting twelve trees at Armenia Tree Project’s (ATP) Ashtarak Park. Each tree planted was dedicated to each of the branches of the scouting program in both chapters. In addition, the scouts helped with planting trees at the ATP’s Karin Nursery, while learning about their important mission.

During the second week of the visit, the scouts helped renovate two schools in the Tavush region; the first one sponsored by the Daughters of Vartan and the other by AGBU France. The next stop for the scouts was the Diocese of the Lori region, where they met a group of fifty children. The scouts played and interacted with the children as well as donated winter clothing to them.

The scouts returned to Los Angeles on Wednesday, July 24 already looking forward to their next visit to the motherland.