Arick Gevorkian
GLENDALE—Each year Homenetmen Glendale Ararat Chapter selects an exemplary individual as their Lifetime Honorary Member and introduces them to the community for recognition and acknowledgement. This year Ararat chapter is celebrating its 38th anniversary and they have selected their long time member, leader, volunteer and community activist Arick Gevorkian who for more than 38 years has contributed not only to the Ararat chapter, but to the worldwide Homenetmen family, ARF, AYF, ARS, Hamazkayin, ANCA, Armenian schools and local city and municipalities.
Arick Gevorkian is an exemplary and humble individual with many virtues and is known not only for his selfless and charismatic character, but also as a musician, composer of many original songs and lyrics, educator, professional trainer, community organizer and a man of many talents who unconditionally gives and donates his time to our youth, community and wherever he’s needed.
Gevorkian started his activism in London, UK as a student and first joined the ranks of Homenetmen family in England in 1978. Soon after immigrating to the US in 82; he was assigned by Homenetmen Western Region to reestablish scouting movement at the Pasadena Azadamard chapter where he served as the Scout Master and executive board member till 1984. In 1984 he joined Homenetmen Ararat chapter and has held countless leadership roles from being a Scout master, troop leader, Youth division chair, chapter’s executive committee vice chair, scouting choir director, advisor to cultural division, mentor to various divisions, Navasartian games liaison and he’s currently the director of communication.
Gevorkian was one of the founding members of Homenetmen London where he embraced the ideology and mission of Homenetmen and has lived by the motto of “Elevate yourself and other with you” his entire life. “I owe my early activism, patriotism and ideology to serve others to 2 very dear individuals who although are no longer with us physically, but they’ll always be in my heart. My first scout master and dear friend Hrair DerGrigorian and my uncle, a prominent scout master, community leader and an educator Lolo (Leonidas) Ohanian,” remarked Gevorkian.
Apart from his countless community contributions, Gevorkian’s many musical accomplishments include, the Scouting CD “Campfire memories” released in 2001, the scouting “Meeyoutian Yerk” (Unity song)- known by all Homenetmen worldwide chapters, that he co-composed the melody and lyrics with two of his Homenetmen brothers in 1979, dozens of Homenetmen scouting and patriotic songs, anthems for 4 Pan Homenetmen Jamborees worldwide (86, 90, 2002 & 2010) and directing many choirs including the Hamzakayin youth, Armenian Youth Federation- AYF, AYF juniors and Ararat scout choirs.
Gevorkian was the Western Region’s (WR) Scout Master for the 1986 Pan Homenetmen Jamboree in England and WR’s Vice Scout master for 1990 Pan Homenetmen Jamboree in Greece. Gevorkian doesn’t have a generational gap with any age and has continuously lectured, motivated, offered his time, talent, educational modules and organizational skills at several hundred camps and outings, including various Homenetmen chapters, AYF camp, basketball camps and Chamlian Armenian school’s family camps.
He has served as the Vice chair and board member of Glendale “Ararat” Chapter’s Executive Committee, member of Homenetmen Western USA Regional Executive Committee, Chairman of Crescenta Valley Armenian Community & Youth Center, Chairman of ACF Crescenta Valley, Chairman of ANCA Glendale and Crescenta Valley chapters, CV Town Council Prayer Breakfast Committee Member & Master of Ceremonies, Glendale PD’s Community Relations and Awareness committee, Glendale Arts & Cultural commission’s Grant advisory committee, Talent Judge for City of Glendale’s Parks & Recreation and countless other community, nonprofit and civic organizations.
Gevorkian is a marketing, PR, industrial organization specialist and a professional public speaker who frequently lectures other educators and students at various colleges, vocational institutions and nonprofit organizations. For the past 30 years, Gevorkian has volunteered his time to educate, cultivate and motivate thousands of youth about their Armenian heritage, culture, history and identity. When asked what drives him to do so much for so many people and organizations, he simply replies “I do it, because someone in the past took their time to educate and coach me. I’m simply passing the favor/torch forward.”
For his many contributions to our communities and his noble approach and attitude with youth; Gevorkian has been recognized by Congressman Adam Schiff, Crescenta Valley Town Council and Korean American Federation of N. Los Angeles.
He’s married to his wife Anita for 27 years, whom he met in Homenetmen scouting and today his entire family including both children; daughter Taline and son Tevan are active members of Homenetmen Glendale Ararat Chapter.
Source: Asbarez
Link: Homenetmen Ararat to Award Arick Gevorkian as Lifetime Honorary Member
