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When I was first approached to write an article on this question, I was getting ready for our summer 'banagoom' - all of the people involved were inundated and having countless meetings to make sure the camp would be a success. So I felt as most people do in stressful situations - "why am I doing this?" Yes, it does occur to us sometimes, and to all people involved in voluntary organisations; no one is 100% committed to a cause and never questions their own position or indeed their own motivation. And so the eternal question; why am I working in Homenetmen?
Is it because I owe them, it, us? Whatever label I choose to give it, and however methodologically I approach this issue, it remains the same - I do this, we do this for the advantages, the experiences, and the character that Homenetmen gives back to us. Any attempt to indicate if I owe Homenetmen is ironically personal and to a certain extent selfish. The past sixteen years have been filled with my personal Homenetmen memories; good, bad, humiliating and uplifting, and like so many others I have grown up in this cradle of our little community. At the very base, I have always felt that when I was a little bumpkin, attending scouts from that very annoying age of 5, someone was there who took on the responsibility of looking after me; of tying my 'tashkinag' for me when I fumbled the knot, consoling me when I was too scared to stand 'bahak', and being an Armenian role model, something I aspired to be. There was someone there giving up their time so I could understand how to master a left-handed lay-up, the finer points of Armenian geography and who in fact Baden Powell was. It was very clear to me that this cycle would be completed and I would endeavour to be that helping hand for the new 5 year olds. The lessons I learnt in ACC and those rather dreary classrooms in Acton High helped me become the person I am today, flaws and all. However, I think most of all I owe Homenetmen for giving me the surroundings I have today. My best friends, my worst enemies, my role models have all come as a result of living as a 'Homenetmen-agan'. The stories at 'banagooms' are notorious (as are the 'badjhagans') and they still come up in discussions. The characters are still vivid as you look down the lines of 'antams' today. I can see that the debt I owe Homenetmen is being repaid, and not only do I find comfort in knowing that circle is complete, I take pleasure in it. I can't contrive how I would have lived my life without this Association next to me. Perhaps I may have shopped more on Saturdays, had more friends who weren't the faces I grew up with, and maybe those stressful situations would have been fewer. But that is not what happened and I have Homenetmen to thank for that. Having returned from our camp and slept a few good hours in recovery, I can see that those 'antams' who asked their parents if they could stay until the end of 'banagoom' because it was so much fun, have started a new circle, and that ultimately we work, and we owe Homenetmen for all it has given us. |
Written by Huby Saroukhanoff