Save the date! The TACAM Annual Republic Day Ball is being held on November 6, 2010, at the Laurel Park Manor in Livonia.

Event details and pricing will be posted in the coming weeks. Expect another wonderful celebration of the Republic and the Turkish-American community in Michigan!

TACAM invites you to celebrate Şeker Bayramı. As a Turkish-American community, we are strengthened when we are together to provide a rich culture for our children and young adults for their future. Please join us as we enjoy drinks and deserts. For the children we will of course have delicious şeker treats!

If possible please RSVP to TACAM if you plan to attend. We hope to see you there!

TACAM cordially invites you to our annual Victory Day Celebration and our İftar dinner!

Every year on August 30, the citizens of the Republic of Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and Turkish-Americans celebrate Victory Day (Zafer Bayramı). The victory being celebrated is the defeat on August 30, 1922, of the invading foreign armies in the final battle of the Turkish War of Independence. This final battle, also known as the “Battle of Dumlupınar” started on Aug 26, 1922, in the city of Dumlupınar in the province of Kütahya in central Anatolia, and ended on August 30, 1922, expelling the invaders out of the motherland. The commander in chief of the of the Turkish War of Independence as well as the Battle of Dumlupınar was the great leader Mustafa Kemâl Atatürk, who established the Republic of Turkey one year later on October 29, 1923.

We will celebrate the Turkish Victory Day at the TACAM Cultural Center to discuss the meaning of this historical event, and to enlighten the new generation of Turkish-Americans. We also would like to review how this Victory should further inspire and energize the Turkish-American community today.

As this year the Victory Day coincides with the month of Ramadan, TACAM has included in this celebration an İftar dinner.

Planned Agenda

7:00pm — Welcome to TACAM
7:15pm — A presentation on the meaning of the Turkish Victory Day
8:15pm — Ramadan speech and serving İftar Dinner (official İftar time is 8:29 pm)
Social time

Menu

Our menu includes ezo gelin çorbası, tas kebabı, rice, salad, kalburabastı tatlısı as dessert and beverages. Anyone who would like to bring a dish to share would be welcome!

Members: $14.00
Non-Member: $18.00
Students: $10.00
Children (12 and up): $5.00

TACAM and the Turkish American Student Alliance would like to announce that the TASA will be having a Turkish tent at LebFest 2010 — Michigan’s annual Lebanese Festival in Downtown Rochester. The table will celebrate solidarity between the Turkish and Lebanese communities within Michigan. There will be many Middle Eastern food vendors, performances and lots more things to do.

Vividly experience Turkey together with the participants from the Turkish-Americans living in the culturally diverse community of Detroit. The tent will display Turkish culture and traditions.

• Have your Turkish Coffee read
• Taste some popular Turkish culinary delights
• Shop for hand-made Turkish Jewelry
• Let your kids enjoy all sorts of activities
• and much more!

The event will be broadcast on a number of local Detroit radios and channels. Come and join us!

You can also join the facebook event page.

Join us for this unique gathering to inform the Turkish American community in Michigan on the importance and necessity of taking an active role in the local and national political issues. Members of America’s prominent political parties will discuss how individuals’ ethnic and political identities can help advance the interests of the Turkish American community.

Whether you are a student or adult; and whether you are a strong supporter of a particular party’s values and principles or you consider yourself an independent, you will gain valuable insights into how to influence policy, political decision making and practices in a neutral, non-partisan setting.

This event is co-sponsored by the Turkish American Cultural Association of Michigan (TACAM) and the Turkish American Students Alliance (TASA).

Download our informational flyer (33 kb)

Join us for a meeting with Turkish General Consul Kenan İpek and the Leaders of the Turkish-American Associations in Chicago. The purpose of this trip is to further enhance our relationship and synergy with the Turkish Consulate and the Turkish community in Chicago.

The tentative program is as follows:

Day 1 (July 2, 2010)

• Morning: Everyone to travel to Chicago (car pooling will be organized)
• Noon: Check-in at the hotel or after dinner (Address: The Palmer House Hilton, 17 East Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603, Tel: 312 726 7500)
• 2:00pm: Arrival at the Chicago Consulate to meet with the Turkish General Consul Kenan İpek to present TACAM Vision 2010 and working plans with the Turkish Consulate. Also, we will give him a farewell present as he will be the next Ambassador to Ethiopia.
• 6:00pm: Dinner meeting with the leaders of the Turkish-American Chicago Association (TACA), Turkish American Chamber of Commerce & Industry Midwest and Turkish American Women Scholarship Fund — including all family members! The location will be Turquoise Restaurant which has a meeting room as well (Address: 2147 West Roscoe Street, turquoisedining.com)

Day 2 (July 3, 2010)

• Morning: Boat tour and free-time until evening to enjoy Chicago
• 6:00pm: Dinner with Consul Kenan İpek at the Hotel
• 9:00 pm: Happy Hour with ATAA VP Hatice Dinç and with further Chicago Turkish-American People (Address: 170 W Ontario, Chicago, district-bar.com). This is 2 miles far from hotel.

Day 3 (July 4, 2010)

• This day is optional if you are able to further engage with remaining participants and enjoy Chicago

We are planning to bring about 20 person or families. If you would like to join, please RSVP by June 30, 2010, COB at feridun.bek@gmail.com. If you have further questions, please email or call at 313 204 8700.

Accommodation We are staying at “The Palmer House Hilton” in Downtown for $100 per night/per room (plus tax and excl. breakfast). We already booked for all people who confirmed the Friday and Saturday nights. This is a special rate and Feridun paid all costs in advance (there is a penalty for cancellation from the hotel). You may pay your room cost to Feridun (see attached invoice for details). Also, please call the hotel one day before to request your room preferences.

$30 per person for the organization and presents. Hotel accommodations and all other expenses will be paid directly by the participants.

Note  The above program is tentative. The schedule and locations may slightly change based on the availability of our contacts in Chicago

The Turkey Honorary Consul of Michigan, Ms. Nurten Ural, and ATAA National Civic Engagement Director, Mr. Yenal Küçüker will join us in our trip.

TACAM is hosting the Father’s Day Picnic at Kensington Metro Park at the Picnic Site T and would like to invite you and your families to join in the food, fun and opportunity to enjoy the day together before most of us leave for Summer vacations.

We are planning a menu to include lamb shish, homemade börek, salad, rice and ayran as well as soft drinks. We would also invite each of you to bring your favorite dish or desert to share with us.

For the days activities we will have some parent-child competition games and set up for volleyball. You are encouraged to bring your baseball gloves, bats and balls for a family game if we have enough players. Of course, we would like you to bring your own equipment as well such as footballs and soccer balls.

As we know in Michigan, we can never be sure of our weather, so if it is rainy we will have backgammon tournaments, “pin the tail on the board members” and other games — and still fantastic food and conversation!

We hope you are all able to join with us and renew our friendships as an extended family and for some newer members to be able to get to know one another much better.

If you have any questions or would be willing to help the day of the picnic (which would be welcomed) feel free to call the Event Manager: Tim Tucker (Cansu’s husband) at 248 894 8257 or tjamestucker@yahoo.com.

Download flyer (pdf) to print and distribute.

Kids 6 and under – free
Kids up to 12 – $5
Members & Students – $10
Non-members – $15

Save the date for our Children’ Day (noon–2:00pm) and General Assembly meeting (2:30pm–5:00), where we elect a new TACAM board. Nominations from any current member of TACAM are welcome. Learn about board responsibilities and run for our board.

About Children’s Day

Children’s Day started as the National Sovereignty Day in Turkey in 1920. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founding father of modern Turkey, dedicated the day April 23rd, as the official Children’s Holiday. Children show their appreciation and celebrate their special day with their own festivals, parades, shows, and all sorts of children’s entertainment throughout the day.

On April 23, 1920, the Turkish Grand National Assembly met for the first time. This was one of the most important moments for the Republic of Turkey. The Grand National Assembly had people elected from all around Turkey to make decisions for the country’s future together. This was a very different idea from the Ottoman Empire, when only one person, the Sultan, made decisions.
Ataturk loved children and he often said: “Children are a new beginning of tomorrow”. Atatürk dedicated this historical opening day of the Grand National Assembly to the future of the country, the children. In fact on April 23rd children from every province of Turkey go into the halls of the Grand National Assembly and make decisions in the same seats and in the same way as the adults do. It is a wonderful experience for kids to learn how laws are passed in their country, and shows them that they really are the future of the country. Some children even get to meet the President and ask him or her questions.

Every April 23rd, Turkey organizes very colorful and cheerful festivals in which over 800 children from more than 40 countries participate. On April 23, children from all over the world dress up in their national costumes and perform dances, play games, sing songs from their countries, and perform their national anthems. There is no school on April 23rd so children enjoy the day by attending celebrations. The international children are hosted by Turkish families who open their homes to welcome these international guests and introduce Turkish culture to them. At the end of these celebrations, the international students leave Turkey with unforgettable memories of their host families, Turkish culture, and the Republic of Turkey.

Why is the Children’s Day so important? April 23rd International Children’s Day is a very important day because Turkey is the first country in the world that dedicated a holiday entirely to kids, thanks to Ataturk. Ever since UNICEF recognized this holiday honoring children, it has been celebrated all over the world. Another reason why this day is important is because April 23 is a day for peace and brotherhood in the world. When we become friends with children from all over the world, we better understand each other and get along well.

Children’s Day Agenda

General Assembly Information

It is time to nominate yourself or someone whom you think will do an excellent job working on the TACAM Board and assume necessary duties. When nominating, please keep in mind that a person’s experience, leadership skills and his/her commitment to the Turkish-American community. Also, please ensure that the candidates you nominate agree to be a part of the Board and to fulfill the necessary responsibilities prior to submitting their names. You can read about responsibilites on our Web site. New comers and long time members — all are welcome, as long as these board positions are filled with people who are willing to go the extra mile to represent our community in  Michigan  and will inspire everyone to work a little harder to bring our people together.

If you are interested in nominating someone or being nominated yourself for any of the positions listed above, please email your request directly to: Gaye Ozdemir, Nomination Committee Chair, to contact@tacam.org. Anyone nominated must also provide a short, biographical note. You must submit your request by April 23, 2010.

All following TACAM Board positions are open at this time:

• President
• Vice President
• Treasurer
• Secretary
• 5 Board of Directors positions
• 3 Board of Trustees positions
• 2 Audit Committee position

General Assembly Agenda

April 4, 2010, Easter Sunday — 7:30pm
Towsley Auditorium
Washtenaw Community College
Ann Arbor

This event will be sold out, please purchase your tickets now to get the best seats! Sertab Erener and Demir Demirkan return to America for a fantastic performance titled “Türkçe Şarkılar” (Turkish Songs).

Backstage Pass Raffle: You can also add $10 to each ticket in your payment to win backstage passes to the event. Three lucky guests will each receive two backstage passes: one for you and another for a loved one! The Backstage Pass Raffle dates are March 14, March 21, and March 28. Buy your tickets soon to have more chances to win backstage passes!

Tickets: $100, $75, $50
Contact TACAM for VIP seating arrangements. Order tickets at the bottom of this page.

Seating Chart

If you would like to be seated next to your friends, who are on a different ticket order, please indicate your preference and the peoples’ names on the PayPal checkout page under “Add special instructions to merchant.” We will try to accommodate every request, but can only do so for a limited time, as seat availability is decreasing rapidly.^*

Buying Tickets

You can pay online below through PayPal, our secure payment processor, or send us a check to “TACAM,” PO Box 3445 Farmington Hills, MI 48333-3445. You will be assigned the best available seats at the time of purchase based on your price-group. If you have any questions, please contact us at sales@tacam.org. We look forward to seeing you at the show!

You may purchase additional raffle tickets separately from your ticket using the “Raffle Ticket Add-On” option below.

You will be able to adjust ticket quantities and order more than one ticket on the checkout page after you have selected a single ticket from here.

• $150 VIP Ticket

  
  

• $100 Ticket

  
  

• $75 Ticket

  
  

• $50 Ticket

  
  

Backstage Pass Raffle Tickets

This is your chance to upgrade your chances of winning a backstage pass to the show! For only $10 a raffle ticket, you can purchase as many chances to win in our weekly drawings leading up to the event. If you win, you and another friend will receive special backstage passes to the show. Meet the artists, see the back-stage and create an unbelievable experience for the event. And if you do not win in our first drawing, your raffle tickets are re-drawn in the next drawing increasing your chances to win!

• $10 Raffle Ticket Add-On

  
  

Directions

You can look up directions to Towsley auditorium online, or view a live map.

Please be sure to select the seating area you prefer, as you will not be able to move your seats during the show.

It was the Cretaceous period, 100–65 million years ago, when dinosaurs roamed the earth. This presentation has been prepared especially for TACAM for one time only by Garo Lacin. Do not miss the opportunity. Come and touch the teeth of of a Tyrannosaurus Rex!

Bring your kids for a once in a lifetime opportunity for your children to see these fossils and a special video presentation. Come and join us for this great event and exhibition.

The fossil collections depict the first creatures on earth (Cambrian and Devonian periods, 400 million years ago). Fossils are 300 million years before the dinosaurs (Carboniferous period).

This event is free and open to the public. Donations to TACAM are welcome.