New Year, New Team

----- Santa Barbara, Ca
By: Anita Tokatyan

It was a colorful start to fall quarter at UCSB when The Hidden Road Initiative met Monday, October 15 to greet familiar faces and eager new members. HRI is currently headed by co-directors Astkhik Hakobyan and Atina Manvelian, two highly dedicated and motivated students keen on making this organization thrive.

The meeting progressed with introductions filled with fun ice breakers, interesting experiences, and comical stories. After giving background on HRI’s beginnings and past projects, Hakobyan discussed HRI’s projects in Akhpradzor and her most recent trip to the village Kosh (click here to read about her trip). Once there, she assisted Sopha Harutunyan, a chiropractor who also studied nursing, in administering clinical care to many villagers. 

During these check ups they discovered 70% of the individuals examined had spinal injuries or related issues. To extend more care, HRI will be raising funds in 2013 to send a chiropractor to treat their spinal conditions.

Currently, HRI is beginning its new project to provide heaters for schools in six villages in Armenia. The winters are very cold and students do not attend school because indoor temperatures can be as cold as outdoors. In addition, the schools need stoves to bake bread because many children do not eat lunch if the school does not provide it.

To fund this project, HRI will be hosting Feast of Screams, a costume dinner-dance party on Monday, October 29th from 8-11pm. The event will be held in UCSB’s Multipurpose Room, located in the Student Resource Building. Tickets will be sold for $5 at the door, and we will be serving Mediterranean dinner, non-alcoholic beverages, and delicious desserts for our guests. We encourage all students to attend and dress in their best costumes!

For more information about Feast of Screams, please click here to join our Facebook event!