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PRESS RELEASE
Monday, April 27, 2009
AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian Alumnus Harnesses His Passion for Mountain
Climbing & Raises Money for His Alma Mater
What started as a casual decision to climb Mt. Whitney in 2007 became a
passion for adventurer and AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School Alumnus
Raffi Arslanian Jr., as he decided to climb Mt. Aconcagua in the Andes
of Western Argentina near the Chilean border, the highest peak in the
Americas and fundraise for his alma mater along the way.
Arslanian traveled to Argentina to accomplish what he considered a
personal goal. "I wanted to prove that with just a spark of faith in
yourself, ordinary people like you and me can overcome major obstacles,"
Raffi says.
After recognizing his growing interest in mountain climbing, Raffi
figured he should harness his passion to make a positive impact on the
Armenian community. "I hope to influence other young Armenians to pursue
their dreams and perhaps do fundraisers themselves for organizations
they believe in. I think it’s imperative for everyone to break away from
their comfortable environment and explore other countries, peoples, and
cultures," he says.
Before his climb, he asked friends and family to sponsor his trek and he
was able to raise hundreds of dollars for his alma mater, where his
mother works as a pre-school teacher and which his sister also attended.
Arslanian reached the summit of Mt. Aconcagua – a height of 22,841 feet
(6,962 meters) — on Dec. 29, 2008. The money he raised from his climb
will benefit MDS and hopefully inspire a new generation of alumni to
give back to their local Armenian community.
Established in 1906, the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) is the
world’s largest non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New
York City, AGBU () preserves and promotes the Armenian
identity and heritage through educational, cultural and humanitarian
programs, annually touching the lives of some 400,000 Armenians on six
continents.