Chicago Turkish American Becomes Board Member of International Women's Associates
The Turkish Times - Mrs. Sel Erder Yackley, was installed as a board member, in charge of programs, at the 24th annual meeting of the International Women's Associates (IWA) in Chicago recently.

IWA has more than 500 members, 100 of whom are scattered throughout the world. Its membership represents nearly 50 different countries and the United States---founded to bring understanding and peace to the world by first making Chicago visitors feel at home.

"We were so impressed with the way the Turkish Culture group organized its IWA activities that we had to have a Turk on the board," said Yoko Mosher, chairman of the nominating committee.

Mrs. Fatos Aktas, as the wife of the Honorable Consul General Yavuz Aktas of Chicago, automatically became a member of IWA. Seeing the potential of educating the American and other foreign members to the historic, cultural and archeological riches of Turkey, she started tapping "active, efficient and energetic members of the Turkish American community," said Mrs. Aktas. "From just one member, we grew to 10 in two years and the monthly Turkish cultural programs became the most popular among the two dozen programs available to the membership," she added. Mrs. Aktas was chairperson and Sel Yackley co-chair of the monthly programs on Turkish culture.

"Sel was educated in the United States, worked as a reporter at the Tribune, runs a public relations firm and serves on several boards. So we knew she would be a tremendous asset to the organization," said Mrs. Aktas

As program director, Sel has to appoint chairpersons to organize monthly programs that often attracts 100 or more people. Since this year's April Gala, the only fund raising event of the year, is on the magnificence of Turkey, several monthly programs will be organized to build excitement and interest in the Ball.

"I am glad to serve on the board of IWA. I am honored and proud to represent my motherland and to tell people about what a great country it is," said Sel Yackley, who often lectures on tourism in Turkey and escorts groups. "I am lucky to have such bright and hardworking Turkish members in the organization." They are Fatos Aktas, Sylvia Anas, Meral Bensch, Sedef O'Connell, Neriman Gezen, Muge Hanioglu, Semra Prescott, Emel Singer and Sezgin Uskup. Julia Beemer and Lilya Sirazi are also members of the Turkish culture contingency, though somewhat inactive.

How to win friends for Turkey
Yavuz Vural Atila, ATAA Western Regional Vice President, Pleasant Hill, CA - Take them for a visit! That is the idea behind an ingenious travel plan undertaken by John and Peggy Blake and Richard Brewer. They are the founders of the Pleasant Hill, California and Merzifon, Amasya sister city partnership, and their adventures in establishing the sister cities was published on Turkish Times November 1, and 15, 2001 issues. John and Peggy Blake are both retired educators who are active in the community of Pleasant Hill, and Richard Brewer is the Pastor Emeritus of Faith Lutheran Church in Pleasant Hill, and they all are avid travelers. They led the sister city delegation to Turkey in May 2001, and decided to share their love of Turkey with others this year.

Take them for a visit! The trio's plan calls for three, back-to-back, two-week trips to Turkey this September and October. Tour 1 is of the Black Sea area from Trabzon to Istanbul including Merzifon, Amasya, Ankara, and Bursa. Tour 2 covers the central part of Turkey from Gallipoli, Bergama, Ephesus, Pamukkale, and Konya to Cappadocia. Tour 3 is a gulet cruise along the Turquoise Coast, with stops in Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethiye, Antalya, and Alanya.

These tours are reasonably priced and use American Airlines to Chicago, and Turkish Airlines flights out of Chicago. Among the three of them, they have visited every place included in all three itineraries in their Turkey travels. John was born and lived in Turkey for about 17 years and speaks Turkish; Peggy has visited Turkey four times, and Dick has made six trips there.

Join John, Peggy and Dick for a wonderful travel adventure called TURKISH MOSAIC. These tours are open to all, who are interested in getting to know Turkey better. You will have the advantage of experienced travelers and tour leaders. They are organizing the tour as volunteers and they are sure that, as far as Turkey is concerned, TO KNOW HER is TO LOVE HER!

The travel brochure is available by simply calling the Blakes at (925) 944-5475 or e-mail blake2240@attbi.com. Dick Brewer may be contacted at (925) 933-0876 or e-mail RevRPB@aol.com. If you know of anyone looking for a great tour of Turkey, pass along this information.

Please visit www.friendsofmerzifon.org for more information about the "Friends of Merzifon" sister city partnership.