From l to r: Jack Hadjinian; Marita Medzachian, educational presenter; Levon Baronian; Vaughn Melkonian, AYF Camp Counselor; Mike Keleshian

WRIGHTWOOD, Calif. — A delegation representing the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western United States visited AYF Camp Big Pines on Wednesday, August 5, meeting with camp leadership and touring the facilities during the 2026 summer camp season.

The delegation included ARF Western U.S. Central Committee Representative Levon Baronian, Central Committee Co-Chair Mike Keleshian, and ARF Montebello Dro Gomideh Chair Jack Hadjinian.

During the visit, the delegation received a tour of the campground and reviewed recent improvements and renovation projects undertaken at the facility. AYF Camp has carried out significant upgrades to Camp Big Pines as part of a broader effort to modernize and improve its facilities. The improvements have included renovations to the camp lodge and infrastructure, while additional upgrades have been supported through $2 million in funding secured from the State of California for improvements at AYF Camp’s Big Pines and Twin Valleys properties.

AYF Camp has served generations of Armenian youth in the Western United States. The camp program was established on the West Coast in 1969, and the Big Pines property was acquired in 1977. Each summer, the camp brings together Armenian youth for cultural, educational, athletic and social activities designed to strengthen Armenian identity, community ties and lifelong friendships.

The Armenian Youth Federation, founded in 1933 through the initiative of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, serves as the youth organization of the ARF and has played a central role in educating and developing generations of Armenian-American community members and leaders.

The visit underscored the continued importance the ARF Western United States places on supporting the AYF and institutions such as AYF Camp, which remain central to the education, engagement and development of future generations of Armenian youth.

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