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Fresno Bee (California)
August 19, 2007 Sunday
FINAL EDITION
Fashion show aids Armenian kids
by Maria Altebarmakian Edison High School
The Central Valley has many organizations that help give back to the
community. The Armenian Church Youth Organization of St. Paul
Armenian Church in Fresno has done so since 2003 by holding a charity
fashion show in late August.
Its goal of helping others goes beyond Fresno. The group tries to
help youth organizations in Armenia.
Members of the youth group act as models: rehearsing, going to
fittings and making sure everything is ready for the big event. They
even get a professional choreographer, George Juarez, to lay out the
steps for all the models.
This year's fashion show will be held next Sunday at St. Paul
Armenian Church. Christina Karakashian, who has been involved in
planning this event since the beginning, answered some questions.
Question: How did the fashion show get started?
Answer: A few of the girls came up with the idea of having the
fashion show, which was a fun and unique way to bring together
everyone with the goal of raising money to help those in need.
Where do the profits go?
Each year, partial profits go to various charities and organizations
that are in need of support. The fashion show has benefited a variety
of organizations, such as the California Armenia Home, located here
in Fresno, as well as orphanages in Armenia. This year, the money
will be going to help build schools in Armenia, through the Knights
and Daughters of Vartan's Armenian School Support Project.
How much time and planning are put into it?
Planning starts months before the event takes place. From securing
the location to preparing the layout for the runway, the planning
never ends. Now that the show is in its fifth year, we have become
veterans in the planning process. Keeping contacts with various
stores and merchants has allowed us to approach planning with more
ease.
How has it grown and changed over the years?
The first fashion show that was held in August 2003 was successful,
but those in attendance consisted mostly of family members of the
youth group members that were modeling in the event, and members of
the church. The production of the event, as well as the attendance,
has grown over the years. Each year, the show incorporates a theme
that is incorporated in the hair and makeup, decorations and music of
the show.
Each year, the show grows in ambience and scale to provide more to
the programs and charities.
Maria Altebarmakian attends Edison High School.
INFOBOX
If you go
What: Armenian Church Youth Organization fashion show
When: Next Sunday; dinner 7 p.m.; fashion show 8 p.m.
Where: St. Paul Armenian Church, 3767 N. First St.
Info: (559) 285-9980
August 19, 2007 Sunday
FINAL EDITION
Fashion show aids Armenian kids
by Maria Altebarmakian Edison High School
The Central Valley has many organizations that help give back to the
community. The Armenian Church Youth Organization of St. Paul
Armenian Church in Fresno has done so since 2003 by holding a charity
fashion show in late August.
Its goal of helping others goes beyond Fresno. The group tries to
help youth organizations in Armenia.
Members of the youth group act as models: rehearsing, going to
fittings and making sure everything is ready for the big event. They
even get a professional choreographer, George Juarez, to lay out the
steps for all the models.
This year's fashion show will be held next Sunday at St. Paul
Armenian Church. Christina Karakashian, who has been involved in
planning this event since the beginning, answered some questions.
Question: How did the fashion show get started?
Answer: A few of the girls came up with the idea of having the
fashion show, which was a fun and unique way to bring together
everyone with the goal of raising money to help those in need.
Where do the profits go?
Each year, partial profits go to various charities and organizations
that are in need of support. The fashion show has benefited a variety
of organizations, such as the California Armenia Home, located here
in Fresno, as well as orphanages in Armenia. This year, the money
will be going to help build schools in Armenia, through the Knights
and Daughters of Vartan's Armenian School Support Project.
How much time and planning are put into it?
Planning starts months before the event takes place. From securing
the location to preparing the layout for the runway, the planning
never ends. Now that the show is in its fifth year, we have become
veterans in the planning process. Keeping contacts with various
stores and merchants has allowed us to approach planning with more
ease.
How has it grown and changed over the years?
The first fashion show that was held in August 2003 was successful,
but those in attendance consisted mostly of family members of the
youth group members that were modeling in the event, and members of
the church. The production of the event, as well as the attendance,
has grown over the years. Each year, the show incorporates a theme
that is incorporated in the hair and makeup, decorations and music of
the show.
Each year, the show grows in ambience and scale to provide more to
the programs and charities.
Maria Altebarmakian attends Edison High School.
INFOBOX
If you go
What: Armenian Church Youth Organization fashion show
When: Next Sunday; dinner 7 p.m.; fashion show 8 p.m.
Where: St. Paul Armenian Church, 3767 N. First St.
Info: (559) 285-9980