ACYOA Planning 75th (+1) Anniversary Alumni
Reunion Weekend in 2022
Original Plans Postponed; New Dates Chosen for
Three Days of Fellowship & Celebration Next Year
(New York, NY) The Armenian Church Youth Organization of America (ACYOA), the national youth program of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, has decided to postpone the original plans of an event-filled 75th Anniversary Alumni Reunion Weekend in Northern New Jersey. The weekend of fellowship and celebration will now take place next year from Friday, September 16 – Sunday, September 18, 2022 in what is renamed, “75th +1” Anniversary Weekend. In the interest to gather as many ACYOA alumni and friends as possible, it was decided to move the weekend dates to accommodate everyone.
Shake’ (Ajamian) Derderian from Philadelphia will lead efforts across the Eastern Diocese throughout 2021 to celebrate ACYOA on the parish level. Kim Bardakian of Oakland, CA and Scott Najarian of Boston will Co-Chair the 75th Reunion Weekend on September 16 -18, 2022.
Early members of the Reunion Host Committee include ACYOA alumni Levon Altiparmakian, Sue (Chagachbanian) Biramian, Arda (Nazerian) Haratunian, Dn. Diran Jebejian, Taline (Jessourian) Najarian, Karen (Cholakian) Kazarian and Lisa Manookian. The committee will engage other ACYOA alumni to help organize specific events and serve as regional ambassadors to encourage alumni of all ages to participate.
ACYOA was created on January 12,1946 in Providence, Rhode Island– one of the early legacies of the Primate of the time, the late Archbishop Tiran Nersoyan of Blessed Memory, who saw a successful youth movement as the future of the Armenian Church. Throughout its history both at the local chapter and national levels, ACYOA has organized and sponsored Christian education programs and retreats, service programs (domestically and abroad), leadership conferences, social and cultural events, and sporting competitions.
At this time, it’s encouraged that all ACYOA alumni make note of the date for this weekend of celebration next year from September 16-18, 2022. More details of the reunion weekend will be made available in the coming months.