MAY 5, 2009

 

We are proud to share TURANT's annual progress report  with you

From: TURANT BOARD OF DIRECTORS


Saduman Gurbuz, President
Yildiz Gursel, V.President
Esra Guleyupoglu, V.President, Communication
Baris Isik, Secretary General
Tulin Pirkul, Treasurer
Oyku Isik; Web design and Student Coordinator
Ece Akaydin; Bylaws and National Organizations
Cigdem Gultekin; Membership 
 
  
1. TURANT’s Garage Sale on May 31, 2008

Raised Funds for the Activities: $700 
See the photos at: http://turant.org/garagesale.html


2. Members Get-Together at Sneaky Pete's on June 8, 2008
Adults and children enjoyed a sunny day and each other's company.

See the photos at:  http://turant.org/sneakypetes.html

3. TURANT sponsored and participated in “Turkey in Transition” Introductory Workshop on July 2008
See the details at: http://www.dfwworld.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?pid=362&srcid=183
 
4. TURANT Turkish Language Classes started on September 7, 2008
Eighteen students have signed up for the Turkish Language class to learn Turkish along with the history of Turkey, and met every Sunday with their dedicated teachers. Interest for Turkish Language classes is growing every day.

See the photos at:  
http://picasaweb.google.com/sadumangurbuz/TURANTTURKOKULUILKSOMESTIRMEZUNIYET#
http://www.turant.org/newsletters/sept26.html


5. TURANT Picnic, Backgammon Tournament, and Victory Day Football (Soccer) Match
Winner of the backgammon tournament was MURAT GOCAY who also won a roundtrip Airline ticket between New York and Istanbul, by Club America.
See event photos and details at:
http://www.turant.org/piknik.html
http://www.turant.org/newsletters/august30.html
http://www.turant.org/newsletters/sept08.html


6. Iftar Dinner at Café Istanbul on September 24, 2008

See the photos at:   http://www.turant.org/newsletters/sept13.html


7. TURANT started the IMECE Campaign
TURANT members got together to raise money and purchased thousands of items like boots and heavy jackets for the poor school kids who live in Eastern part of Turkey.
See IMECE photos and details at:
http://turant.org/IMECE/Kangal/index.htm
http://www.turant.org/newsletters/sept18-1.html
http://www.turant.org/newsletters/nov04.html


8. TURANT Celebrated Ramazan Holiday at Shish Turkish Restaurant on October 1, 2008
Over 200 people enjoyed Turkish food while celebrating traditional holiday in Turkish way.

See the photos at:  http://www.turant.org/newsletters/sept25.htm 

 

9. Short Essay Contest: “Why Ataturk is an Important Figure for Turkey?” on November 15, 2008 
 TURANT organized along with MKATAA a short essay contest for the area children between 7-14 years of age. The topic was “Why Ataturk is an important figure for Turkey?” Thirteen children participated in the contest and winners were announced at the conclusion of the seminar on Nov. 15th, at SMU. Specifically for this occasion daughter of Ataturk, Ulku Adatepe, came to Dallas, Texas.  The day was heightened when everyone in the seminar listened to Ulku Adatepe’s memoirs with Ataturk; it was a historic day for Turkish-American community. All contestants were awarded with certificates and more successful ones won prizes of $250.00 for the first place, $150.00 for the second place and $100.00 for the third place.

See the photos at:  
http://picasaweb.google.com/sadumangurbuz/DALLASTURKCOCUKLARIULKUADATEPEILE#
 
 10. Kurban Bayrami Lunch at Ephesus Turkish Restaurant on December 10, 2009.

 TURANT members (around 70-80 people) got together to celebrate traditional Kurban Bayrami. 
 
11. TURANT Celebrated 85th Republic Day on October 24th, 2008, at the Doubletree Hotel
TURANT celebrated 85th Anniversary of Turkish Republic with a Ball on 24th of October.  Close to 250 people attended to this dinner-ball.  TURANT Turkish School Students sang the Turkish anthem for the first time and also read poems in Turkish at the Ball. First time in the history of TURANT, a US Congressman joined our Ball and presented the Congressional Flag to TURANT.

See the photos at:  http://www.turant.org/balo%20foto/index.htm 
 
12. TURKFEST 2008 IN WORLDFEST on October 25, 2008
TURANT successfully accomplished a major event like TURKFEST within WORLDFEST right after the Republic Ball. TURKFEST was the big hit of the entire WorldFest. All TurkFest visitors enjoyed Turkish style entertainment, food and exhibitions. We also held the semi-final for the backgammon tournament at TURKFEST.

See the event photos at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/sadumangurbuz/DropBox?authkey=SFpLmiT2Rvg#
http://picasaweb.google.com/serminu/DallasTurkfestOct252008#


13. TURANT celebrated the New Year’s Eve on December 31, 2008.
See the event photos at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/sadumangurbuz/YENIYIL2009#

 

14. Movie Day on January 18, 2009.

TURANT organized its first activity for 2009 on Sunday, January 18. TURANT Turkish Class kids and their parents watched three amazing astronomy movies at the UT-Arlington Campus Planetarium. They had the opportunity to visit with friends and children got to hang out together experiencing the Planetarium, while enjoying some Baklava.

 

15. Annual Traditional TURANT KERMES on February 8, 2009

TURANT organized the traiditional kermes at Pirkul’s Residence and raised $1200 for TURANT funds while participants enjoyed Turkish food, tea, Turkish arts, crafts, exhibitions and company. 

See the event photos at:
http://www.turant.org/archive2009.htm
http://www.turant.org/newsletters/feb0609.html


16. TURANT Happy Hours
We had our first gathering in Ft.Worth at Blue Mesa on August 29, 2008.
There was a great demand among the members and TURANT continued with another gathering on March 6, 2009 at Flying Saucer in Addison.


17. TURANT Organized Prof. Turkkaya Ataov Lecture on March 23, 2009, Monday.
The subject was “How to Come to Terms with One's Own Past.” The seminar provided insights to Turkish Americans about Armenian conflict during the World War I. See the event photos at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/sadumangurbuz/ATAOV#
http://www.turant.org/archive2009.htm
http://www.turant.org/newsletters/march1209.html
http://www.turant.org/newsletters/march0409.html


18. TURANT Initiated the Turkish Section Project in the Dallas Public Library System on March, 2009.
TURANT proudly presents that the “Turkish Books on Dallas Public Library’s Shelves” project has been accepted. This is an ongoing project. At the initial phase, 85 children’s books were purchased. The books will be shipped during the summer.


19. TURANT Started Monthly Cooking Classes

In this ‘first time ever in DFW’ activity, participants learn how to cook a courses previously decided menu, and then enjoy a cup of hot tea while eating what was cooked, at the end of cooking class. $440 was raised as funds for TURANT so far.

This is an ongoing project.
See the event photos at:

http://www.turant.org/cooking2images.html
http://www.turant.org/cooking1images.html
http://www.turant.org/newsletters/march2409.html


20. TURANT sponsored Teacher’s Workshop as a part of the World Affairs Council on April 25, 2009.

TURANT is proud to be a part of the World Affairs Council's Teachers Workshop, 2009 Portrait of Turkey.
The Workshop took place at the Region 10 Education Service Center in Richardson, Texas. We were all proud to see that our Turkish American Kids started to take role to promote their homeland. TURANT Children’s Folk Dance Group performed at the Workshop and received big cheers from the audience. We served Turkish Tea along with baklava to the participants all through day. As a part of its 2009 Portrait of Turkey program, the World Affairs Council has awarded six DFW metroplex teachers with a Turkey study tour, between July 13 and July 24, 2009.This program is focused on exploring Turkey through a series of events. Each event is designed to promote education and cross-cultural understanding of Turkey that straddles 
the European and Middle Eastern worlds.  

See the event photos at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/sadumangurbuz/TEACHERSWORKSHOPATWORLDAFFAIRSCOUNCIL#

 

21. April 23rd Children's Day Celebration on April 26th, 2009.
 TURANT celebrated April 23rd Children’s Day at University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). The celebration started at 11:00 am with the Turkish School students program. The students performed Turkish cultural songs, poems, folk dances while TURANT members and friends enjoyed their talent shows. The program ended with certificate presentation ceremony for the students; successful completion of their 1st year of Turkish classes. Day’s program was followed by TURANT Children’s Day Traditional Picnic at 1:00 pm at the Cottonwood Recreational Park, which ended by 6:30pm. Children had great fun in the afternoon and enjoyed many games while celebrating their day.
See the event photos at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/sadumangurbuz/23NISAN2009KUTLAMALARI#


22. TURANT honors Mothers of the Year on May 9th, 2009.
TURANT members have selected the ‘Mothers of the Year,’ for the challenges and hardships they have been through in life and for their respected ways of motherhood. TURANT recognizes the selected mothers, Sevgi Sevenler and Birsen Uytun, with a brunch on Saturday, May 9th, at Cafe Istanbul Plano. 
See the details at: http://www.turant.org/newsletters/march1209.html


23. TURANT is helping Ahiska Turks in the DFW metroplex

TURANT assisted Ahiska Turks in DFW Metroplex with various programs and services. These services included family and individual counseling, counseling on legal rights, tax, healthcare/insurance, social integration, employment, education, and computer education. This is an ongoing project.
See the photos at:  http://picasaweb.google.com/sadumangurbuz/AhiskaTurks#


24. TURANT Website Update 
We redesigned and made our website more convenient and useful for our members. Visitors should be able to register their e-mail addresses to our mailing list, register for our cooking classes, donate for the IMECE campaign, while they are enjoying our past event photo albums and frequent updates. Also you can read all of the newsletters archived on our website.
Visit: www.turant.org 

 

25. TURANT has e-mailed Ninety-six (96) TURANT newsletters to its members so far and also helped

DFW area Turkish businesses advertise through TURANT.
http://www.turant.org/newsletters.htm

 

26. TURANT supports Cagdas Yasami Destekleme Dernegi (CYDD)

Recently TURANT raised $2500 for to enhance CYDD's effort to provide girls with educational support, who do not have support otherwise, so that they can go to school. 

 

TURANT's activities are supported by Turkish Cultural Foundation (TCF), Turkish Coalition of America (TCA), Federation of Turkish American Associations (FTAA) and valuable members of TURANT.