PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Chris Zakian
Tel: (212) 686-0710; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.armenianchurch-ed.net
October 24, 2014
_________________
ACYOA Juniors Gather for Sports Weekend
Over Columbus Day weekend, some 265 young people from 18 parishes around the
Diocese gathered for the ACYOA Fall Juniors Sports Weekend, hosted by St.
Leon Church in Fair Lawn, NJ.
Lorie Odabashian, the Diocese's coordinator of Youth and Young Adult
Ministries, and members of the St. Leon parish welcomed participants on
Friday, October 10, and directed them to their respective host families.
Saturday began with morning service, followed by an "Insights" program led
by sub-deacon Saro Kalayjian. Sports competitions followed at the parish's
Grace and Charles Pinajian Youth Center. Team sports included co-ed
volleyball and boys' and girls' basketball. Individual competitions included
chess, tavloo, Connect Four, and ping pong. On Saturday evening,
participants enjoyed a dance in Abajian Hall.
On Sunday, the group took part in the Divine Liturgy. The Rev. Fr. Diran
Bohajian, parish pastor, celebrated the Divine Liturgy and gave a sermon on
the Holy Translators. The afternoon continued with sports finals, followed
by an awards banquet and dance in Abajian Hall.
The weekend came to a close on Monday with a farewell breakfast, where the
participants and parishioners alike remarked on the spirit of Christian
fellowship present throughout the weekend. The young people also expressed
their gratitude to Fr. Bohajian, St. Leon Church youth adviser Susan
Chamesian, and to the entire parish for hosting them and organizing the
various events.
For information on the ACYOA Juniors, contact Jennifer Morris, director of
the Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, at (248) 648-0702, or
via e-mail at
[email protected].
2014 Award Winners in Team Sports
Volleyball
First Place: Holy Translators Church, Framingham, MA
Second Place: St. James Church, Watertown, MA
Girls Basketball
First Place: St. Sahag and St. Mesrob Church, Wynnewood, PA
Second Place: St. Leon Church, Fair Lawn, NJ
Boys Basketball
First Place: "Hye Five" combined New England regional team
Second Place: St. Leon Church, Fair Lawn, NJ
Overall Weekend Champions
St. Leon Church, Fair Lawn, NJ
Outstanding Sportsmanship Awards
Neil Ferraro, Holy Translators Church, Framingham, MA
Nairi Ostayan, St. James Church, Watertown, MA
Individual Competition Winners
Beginner Chess
First Place: Armen Dervishian, St. Sahag and St. Mesrob Church, Wynnewood,
PA
Second Place: Armen Kassabian, Holy Martyrs Church, Bayside, NY
Advanced Chess
First Place: Armen Arsenian, Holy Martyrs Church, Bayside, NY
Second Place: Christian Khachian, St. Gregory the Enlightener Church, White
Plains, NY
Beginner Tavloo
First Place: Dylan Madden, St. James Church, Watertown, MA
Second Place: Armand Zeibari, St. Sahag and St. Mesrob Church, Wynnewood, PA
Advanced Tavloo
First Place: Alek Kevorkian, St. Leon Church, Fair Lawn, NJ
Second Place: Andrew Reppucci, St. James Church, Watertown, MA
Connect Four
First Place: Nick Tokmanian, St. Leon Church, Fair Lawn, NJ
Second Place: Greg Keshishian, St. Leon Church, Fair Lawn, NJ
Boys' Ping Pong
First Place: Levon Najarian, St. Leon Church, Fair Lawn, NJ
Second Place: Greg Keshishian, St. Leon Church, Fair Lawn, NJ
Girls' Ping Pong
First Place: Ana DerSimonian, St. Sahag and St. Mesrob Church, Wynnewood, PA
Second Place: Ani Maroyan, Holy Trinity Church, Cambridge, MA
###
Photos attached.
Photo 1: Sports Weekend participants take a group photo.
Photo 2: A game of tavloo.
Photo 3: A girls' basketball game underway during Sports Weekend.
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Chris Zakian
Tel: (212) 686-0710; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.armenianchurch-ed.net
October 24, 2014
_________________
ACYOA Juniors Gather for Sports Weekend
Over Columbus Day weekend, some 265 young people from 18 parishes around the
Diocese gathered for the ACYOA Fall Juniors Sports Weekend, hosted by St.
Leon Church in Fair Lawn, NJ.
Lorie Odabashian, the Diocese's coordinator of Youth and Young Adult
Ministries, and members of the St. Leon parish welcomed participants on
Friday, October 10, and directed them to their respective host families.
Saturday began with morning service, followed by an "Insights" program led
by sub-deacon Saro Kalayjian. Sports competitions followed at the parish's
Grace and Charles Pinajian Youth Center. Team sports included co-ed
volleyball and boys' and girls' basketball. Individual competitions included
chess, tavloo, Connect Four, and ping pong. On Saturday evening,
participants enjoyed a dance in Abajian Hall.
On Sunday, the group took part in the Divine Liturgy. The Rev. Fr. Diran
Bohajian, parish pastor, celebrated the Divine Liturgy and gave a sermon on
the Holy Translators. The afternoon continued with sports finals, followed
by an awards banquet and dance in Abajian Hall.
The weekend came to a close on Monday with a farewell breakfast, where the
participants and parishioners alike remarked on the spirit of Christian
fellowship present throughout the weekend. The young people also expressed
their gratitude to Fr. Bohajian, St. Leon Church youth adviser Susan
Chamesian, and to the entire parish for hosting them and organizing the
various events.
For information on the ACYOA Juniors, contact Jennifer Morris, director of
the Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, at (248) 648-0702, or
via e-mail at
[email protected].
2014 Award Winners in Team Sports
Volleyball
First Place: Holy Translators Church, Framingham, MA
Second Place: St. James Church, Watertown, MA
Girls Basketball
First Place: St. Sahag and St. Mesrob Church, Wynnewood, PA
Second Place: St. Leon Church, Fair Lawn, NJ
Boys Basketball
First Place: "Hye Five" combined New England regional team
Second Place: St. Leon Church, Fair Lawn, NJ
Overall Weekend Champions
St. Leon Church, Fair Lawn, NJ
Outstanding Sportsmanship Awards
Neil Ferraro, Holy Translators Church, Framingham, MA
Nairi Ostayan, St. James Church, Watertown, MA
Individual Competition Winners
Beginner Chess
First Place: Armen Dervishian, St. Sahag and St. Mesrob Church, Wynnewood,
PA
Second Place: Armen Kassabian, Holy Martyrs Church, Bayside, NY
Advanced Chess
First Place: Armen Arsenian, Holy Martyrs Church, Bayside, NY
Second Place: Christian Khachian, St. Gregory the Enlightener Church, White
Plains, NY
Beginner Tavloo
First Place: Dylan Madden, St. James Church, Watertown, MA
Second Place: Armand Zeibari, St. Sahag and St. Mesrob Church, Wynnewood, PA
Advanced Tavloo
First Place: Alek Kevorkian, St. Leon Church, Fair Lawn, NJ
Second Place: Andrew Reppucci, St. James Church, Watertown, MA
Connect Four
First Place: Nick Tokmanian, St. Leon Church, Fair Lawn, NJ
Second Place: Greg Keshishian, St. Leon Church, Fair Lawn, NJ
Boys' Ping Pong
First Place: Levon Najarian, St. Leon Church, Fair Lawn, NJ
Second Place: Greg Keshishian, St. Leon Church, Fair Lawn, NJ
Girls' Ping Pong
First Place: Ana DerSimonian, St. Sahag and St. Mesrob Church, Wynnewood, PA
Second Place: Ani Maroyan, Holy Trinity Church, Cambridge, MA
###
Photos attached.
Photo 1: Sports Weekend participants take a group photo.
Photo 2: A game of tavloo.
Photo 3: A girls' basketball game underway during Sports Weekend.