The Vision of TACAM, and Its Need for Your Support!
“Turk-Amerikan Lobiciliginin Guclenmesi icin Aktif Yardiminiza Ihtiyac Var”
Dear TACAM Members, and Friends of Turkiye (Turkey):
As we close the 2011 calendar year, we have a deep sense of gratitude for your trust and continued support as we work further collectively to fulfill the vision and goals of the Turkish-American Community!
During this time of reflection, we intend to review the areas of accomplishment, and future opportunities to improve. With this thought in mind, please analyze the key strategies below and consider the ways you could support them as much as you can:
A. The 2012 TACAM Vision:
Our aim is to initiate programs and organize events to meet the overall and critical needs of the Turkish American community – based on the principles of Ataturk! Therefore, we have organized two “Strategic Planning Workshops”, and sent out a survey questionnaire to get feedback from the Turkish American community. As a result, the following main strategic areas and projects were identified:
Strategies:
- VOICE – Increase the voice of Turkish-Americans: in Michigan and in U.S. especially in key Turkiye and Turkish-American related matters (see www.turkishpac.com for example topics).
- REACH OUT – Advocacy & Outreach: involvement within our community, reach to and collaborate with other Turkic-American organizations for the benefits of the Turkish-American Community, and to have “One-Voice”; cooperation with other ethnic groups; reach out to American media, policy makers, and others.
- EDUCATION – Focus on educational activities (Involving our youth, members, media, and politicians, etc.): As a cultural association, specific programs discussing various aspects of the Turkish culture found to be desirable; to include educational presentations as much as possible in key events.
- MEMBERSHIP – Engagement and development: To meet new people, enhancing social and professional networks for mutual benefits, as well as strengthening our bonds with current association friends and family to respond to their changing needs.
Projects:
- BUILDING: TACAM property improvement, to achieve a quality the Turkish-American Community deserves!
B. Responding to the VISION – Who we are & What we did for you in the past 2 years?
Since May 2010, we provided the following outcomes:
- Organized over 35 key events and/or activities with your support and met and/or exceeded all our planned targets (see link for details: www.tacam.org/?p=1868); more events are in the planning stage.
- Mentored/sponsored an American archaeology PhD student “Angela Commito” to attend a summer course in Selçuk, Turkey focusing on Ancient Cities in Turkiye (Angela will provide us a lecture about her experience.)
- Organized the biggest Republic Day Celebration in U.S. in 2011, with almost 300 guests and the only one where multiple congress people joined and delivered excellent PR speeches about Turkey and Ataturk; plus further consuls and key VIP people joined. Also, we received 6 proclamations from State of Michigan and other cities ref the Turkish Republic Day (see example link: http://www.turkishny.com/usa-news/87-american-english-news/71489-michiganda-turkiye-ve-ataturk-tantm).
- Proactively approached and partnered with different Turkic and Balkan ethnic groups and organized joint events in line with our strategies.
- With the leadership and expertise of Prof. Dr. Sumer Pek, launched a totally new TACAM by-laws after 30 years (see link: www.tacam.org/about/bylaws).
- New committees added to the existing ones: (1) Building Committee, and (2) Trade & Economy Development Committees. The building committee established an exclusive building fund and already managed to get $10K initial funds with the target of getting $100K+.
- Received substantial amounts of donations, much in excess of such contributions in previous years, and had $13K more income as initially budgeted, and more…
C. Your requested critical support to the Turkish-American Community?
To maintain this momentum, and to further implement our strategies, we NEED your support and kindly ask your assistance, as follows:
- Please ask professionals and business people you are acquainted with to make donations to TACAM. Annually, TACAM needs approximately $13K for property maintenance (including property tax) and further significant event costs. The suggested amount for a donation could be at least $250; remind your friends that donations to TACAM are fully tax deductible.
- Please pay your 2012 TACAM membership dues by January 31, 2012! If you have not done so already (see link for online payment www.tacam.org/membership).
- Please pro-actively support one TACAM event or activity every year, such as supporting the organization of an event, joining an action committee, giving an educational lecture in the area of your expertise, sponsoring an event by a donation, bringing proactive ideas and contributing to their implementation, etc. For this purpose, please contact us at contact@tacam.org to review the details,
- Please promote TACAM in your communities, and encourage 1 or 2 persons or families to become members in the Year 2012. We are targeting to increase %50 the current membership number by December 2012.
D. Why is it important that you became an active TACAM member?
- By supporting TACAM and its U.S. network, you become part of the advocacy organization with a truly national reach. Your support and involvement allows TACAM to have an impact on key opinion leaders and policymakers on issues of deep concern to all of us—from promoting positive Turkish sentiments and supporting Türkiye, to championing human rights and strengthening ties with other ethnic groups!
- By only working proactively and together as an organization—the Board, Action Committees and Active Members—we can make a difference within the Turkish American Community to promote our heritage and culture and pass it to our new generations! We owe this to ourselves, to the Turkish-American Community, and our new generations!
- We need to act now to successfully and effectively implement our strategies listed above to become an assertive Turkish American Community.
- Our role model is Atatürk and his principles. We want to prove that Michigan has many Atatürk templates who are actively/successfully working to create miracles, and work hard to implement them!
- Your donation of funds and effort will benefit our current and next generations, to preserve the Turkish culture and language, to promote our rich Turkish heritage, and to further the education of our future leaders.
- In the New Year, we will organize more “TACAM member only” activities and focus more on their needs, as we are a membership organization! Please do not miss the opportunity to be part of a big family!
Please let us know how you can contribute to implement our vision and contact us at contact@tacam.org or 313.204.8700 as needed.
We wish you happy holidays, merry Christmas and a prosperous new year!
On behalf of the TACAM Board Members and Committee Chairpersons
Feridun Bek Tim Tucker
TACAM President TACAM VP