Just stepped through the door after three fabulous, challenging days in Vardenis in connection with the Վարդենիսի Ոսկե Հասկ Փառատոն / Vardenis Golden Wheat Festival. This is a message from Tim the HDIF founder, Tim the diplomat and Tim the person. What can I say other than THANKS? Thanks to our fabulous partners in Vardenis: -Vardenis Municipality -Vardenis YMCA -Armenian Caritas, Vardenis -Vardenis World Vision -Vardenis Community Development Foundation Thanks to the donors who made the festival possible: -One Armenia and all of you out there that donated to this great event -Jinishian Memorial Foundation who always stands behind HDIF Thanks to Gegharkounik marzpetaran for their support. Thanks to a lot of individuals in Vardenis who went out of their way to help: -the director of the house of culture -Monte and all the other volunteers from YMCA and World Vision...they manned the information booth, they ran the kids village, they were running everywhere to make things go as smooth as possible. -the electrician guy who just did what we asked him to so that we had music, refrigerators, a bounce house, computer videos and much more. -the neighborhood kids, some of them only 8 years or so, who carried table after table, tent after tent, and really got things in place for the festival. You little guys ROCK! One of them even showed up this morning to help us pack the truck. -Armen in Vardenis Sewing who stayed up all night sewing loops onto the sides of all the banners so we could hang them up when the arrived without rivets. A saviour. Thanks to the villages who properly registered their participation ahead of the festival and showed up with the yummiest food EVER!! zhingalov hats, pakhlava, spas, khashlama, lavash, halva, honey...an endless display of fab goodies. Kut village wins a prize for fabulously designed matching tablecloth and aprons for the ladies. Vardenis also gets a prize for over the top displays of exquisite food trays- pieces of art! Thanks the to local military base for a really cool military way of serving harisa by the buckets! Well done, and I loved their harisa on wheels approach! Thanks to Beer Academy for coming from Oslo to serve us all FAB wheat beer! Thanks to all the handicrafts producers: -Vardenis Sewing -Վարդենիս Քարե փորագրություն / Vardenis Stone Carving -Sisian Ceramics -Սպիտակի Պայուսակներ / Spitak Bags -Yereqnuk Handicrafts -Aghstravart NGO Thanks to all the NGOs who made incredible displays about their activities: -Jinishian Memorial Foundation -Caritas Armenia -YMCA Vardenis -Vardenis Community Development NGO Thanks to the Eco pavilion participants: -EcoTapan -Researchers for Bio Heating Solutions- who sold all their eco tomatoes!! Thanks to Photo Atelier Marashlyan Retro....!! Thanks to the three governmental institutions that made great displays! -Vardenis day care center -Vardenis Sunday school -Vardenis art school Thanks to ambassador Heffern for never-ending enthusiasm and support for what HDIF does. It really helps. Thanks to DJ Vakcina for a fabulous DJ job! Thanks to Ashot for a great MC job! Thanks to the Vardenis Sports School for a very popular demonstration of so many sports!! Thanks to all those friends and folks from Yerevan who made the trip up to Vardenis. Lucky were those of you who made it early enough to see the festival in full bloom. The ride up is fabulous, isnt it? And almost last but not at all least, and HUGE thanks goes to our own HDIF staff, without whom none of any of this would have been possible: - Lucy, the HDIF woman warrior who stood for her principles through thick and thin. It was tough as nails at times, but you dazzled! - Anahit, jumping in and making the best of it. The volunteers in Vardenis were the best they have ever been. Thanks! - Tigran, just getting it all done in the most practical way possible. Well done! - David, you knew what need to be done and you got it done. Thanks jan! - Sasoun, doing so much on a completely voluntary basis. Thank you! - Viken, arriving in the middle of positive chaos, doing the max of what you could, and not wanting to leave until we forced you onto the bus. - Maxime, you dont speak a word of the language, but man you got the job done. If not for your insistence on four stakes, we would have lost a lot more tents! Thanks! And in the end....thanks to the people of Vardenis for turning out by the thousands with huge enthusiasm and big wide smiles on your faces. You embraced us, and we embrace you. And to those I have forgotten, I am sorry....there were SO many who contributed in some many different ways. We shall be back next year. This year was fabulous. Next year will be INCREDIBLE!
Posted on: Sun, 21 Sep 2014 14:27:54 +0000
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