Almost 300 foreign residents gathered at a beach in Turgutreis to raise funds for disabled children attending Begonvil Rehabilitation Center
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Foreigners living in the neighborhood of Turgutreis, in the southwestern province of Muğla took a swim in the sea for a charity event to raise funds for disabled children.
Almost 300 British, Russian, German, Dutch and Belgian nationals gathered at Kortan Restaurant at lunchtime with the aim of collecting donations for disabled children attending Begonvil Rehabilitation Center for Mentally and Physically Disabled People, run by Bodrum Health Foundation.
During the event, in which the Scottish participated wearing their national dress, 80 people swam 17 degree-Celsius sea, with air temperature around 15 degrees Celsius. The swimmers held English, Scottish and Turkish flags at Günbatımı Beach.
Locals, as well as several Turkish tourism agents, accompanied foreign residents as they swam for almost half an hour, and spectators on the shore supported them with applause. Some of the foreigners swam with their clothes on.
“As you can see today, people from all over the world, without making any discrimination of religion, language or race, came together for the good of disabled children. If this can be done, having peace in the world and living within the bonds of love and brotherhood do not appear to be that difficult,” said Ali Taşdemir, manager of Kortan Restaurant.
‘Our love of children keeps us warm’
John Saywell, the 65-year-old English man who has been living in Turgutreis for 15 years, organized the event. “This place is like our homeland now. We consider the problems of the district and the disabled children as our own problems. We are very glad that the turnout for the event we organized in order to facilitate the lives of disabled children was quite high. We both raised funds and promoted our paradise-like town. We will do our best to reintegrate disabled children into the society. Today the weather is cold but we do not feel it because our love for disabled children keeps us warm,” he said.
Bodrum Health Foundation’s Public Relations Manager Şafak Yaşar said the organization spent the 30,000 Turkish Liras collected during the previous five events to buy the necessary tools and equipment to renovate the disabled children’s center.
During the event, which has become an annual community fundraiser, there was a carnival atmosphere in the town, Yaşar said. “With the funds collected, we were able to create a physiotherapy room for our children, a playground for disabled children and bought computers. Besides financial aid, our foreign residents visit the center frequently and support us with their knowledge and good will,” she said.
The total amount of donations collected during the event is expected to amount to approximately 12,000 liras, including donations from foreign residents who returned to their native countries for Christmas and contributed directly by making deposits in the foundation’s bank account.
Almost 300 British, Russian, German, Dutch and Belgian nationals gathered at Kortan Restaurant at lunchtime with the aim of collecting donations for disabled children attending Begonvil Rehabilitation Center for Mentally and Physically Disabled People, run by Bodrum Health Foundation.
During the event, in which the Scottish participated wearing their national dress, 80 people swam 17 degree-Celsius sea, with air temperature around 15 degrees Celsius. The swimmers held English, Scottish and Turkish flags at Günbatımı Beach.
Locals, as well as several Turkish tourism agents, accompanied foreign residents as they swam for almost half an hour, and spectators on the shore supported them with applause. Some of the foreigners swam with their clothes on.
“As you can see today, people from all over the world, without making any discrimination of religion, language or race, came together for the good of disabled children. If this can be done, having peace in the world and living within the bonds of love and brotherhood do not appear to be that difficult,” said Ali Taşdemir, manager of Kortan Restaurant.
‘Our love of children keeps us warm’
John Saywell, the 65-year-old English man who has been living in Turgutreis for 15 years, organized the event. “This place is like our homeland now. We consider the problems of the district and the disabled children as our own problems. We are very glad that the turnout for the event we organized in order to facilitate the lives of disabled children was quite high. We both raised funds and promoted our paradise-like town. We will do our best to reintegrate disabled children into the society. Today the weather is cold but we do not feel it because our love for disabled children keeps us warm,” he said.
Bodrum Health Foundation’s Public Relations Manager Şafak Yaşar said the organization spent the 30,000 Turkish Liras collected during the previous five events to buy the necessary tools and equipment to renovate the disabled children’s center.
During the event, which has become an annual community fundraiser, there was a carnival atmosphere in the town, Yaşar said. “With the funds collected, we were able to create a physiotherapy room for our children, a playground for disabled children and bought computers. Besides financial aid, our foreign residents visit the center frequently and support us with their knowledge and good will,” she said.
The total amount of donations collected during the event is expected to amount to approximately 12,000 liras, including donations from foreign residents who returned to their native countries for Christmas and contributed directly by making deposits in the foundation’s bank account.
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