AYF members enjoy one another’s company during a winter weekend getaway in the mountains of Pennsylvania.

For another consecutive year, the New York “Hyortik” Chapter brought together Armenian youth from across the country for a weekend of skiing and relaxing in the snowcapped peaks of Pennsylvania’s Jack Frost and Big Boulder Mountains. This year, over 25 people attended the annual “Winter Weekend Getaway,” which was held from Feb. 20-22.

“If not for this ski trip year after year, I would never use my skis,” said New York “Hyortik” member Justin Kaladjian. “The weekend was great because it gave us all the opportunity to get away from everything, play in the snow, and be with some great friends for a few days.”

Participants came from as far away as California, Florida, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and New York to take a break from their everyday lives and enjoy the company of both close and distant friends. In addition to skiing and snow boarding on the pristine slopes, those who made the trip got to play cards, board games, billiards, and video games, and watch movies in the comfort of fully equipped lodges.

The “Hyortik” Chapter tasked a special Ski Trip Committee with the responsibility of organizing the weekend. Preparations were diligently arranged months in advance and promoted to members throughout the region, making participation simple and convenient. “We made sure that we set up and bought everything so nobody had to worry about anything besides showing up and having a great time,” said committee member Kaladjian.
Alongside Kaladjian on the committee this year was Toros Asadourian, who emphasized the hard work that went into making the weekend run smoothly and the importance of such events in forging strong bonds among Armenian American youth. “If it weren’t for the ski trip and the AYF,” said Asadourian, “I would have never met my greatest friends.”

Indeed, with now over a decade since it first began, the annual “Hyortik” AYF Ski Trip has created lasting memories and friendships for countless youth who have participated in it. As Kaladjian said, “The ski trip has always been successful because everyone always has a great time. You have a winning combination of food, friends, and fun which is why people come year after year.”