Embassy News 2005
December 28, 2005
Alumni of the Future Leaders' Exchange (FLEX) Program, which is funded by the U.S. Government and administered by American Councils, have joined efforts to help children from the Gyumri Orphanage celebrate Christmas. As part of their "Magic Christmas Tree" initiative, FLEX alumni visited the Gyumri Orphanage to collect wish lists from the orphans, and decorated the Christmas tree in Tashir Mall in Yerevan with photos of the children. Alumni then asked shoppers at the mall to either give a monetary donation, or donate a gift on one of the children's wish lists.
The "Magic Christmas Tree" initiative ended on December 27, and FLEX alumni say that the donations they collected greatly exceeded their expectations. The alumni will present the gifts to the children at the Gyumri Orphanage as they help them to celebrate Christmas.