Helping Hands in Biga

Hello dear friends!

I write to you on yet another scorching day in Biga. Today was a day of both frustration and success; frustration because our building supplies were supposed to arrive today and did not, and success because we were able to secure some great local support for the center. We have been promised that our supplies will be here tomorrow morning and that our roof will be completed by this weekend, as sandwich panels are quickly installed.

The overwhelming feeling, however, was success! The following local companies are supporting center:

1. Doğtaş, the Biga-based international furniture company, is donating furniture for the center. They will be outfitting us with a brand new refridgerator, a computer desk, a large meeting table, chairs, etc... I will be going with Ayfer Baykal tomorrow to help choose our furniture.

2. The Biga Belediye is supplying the center with soil, as well as tiles for stairs and a front walk-way. They have already supplied the soil:

...and here we are with our builder, Ömer Küçük, picking out the tiles for the stairs:

3. The Sokullu family is giving the tiles for the kitchen and bathroom.

4. Polek Electric is giving the lights/lampposts for the exterior of the cooperative.

Aside from these great gifts, we are trying to find a local company to donate our siding. We are also still struggling to collect money promised to the center from local cooperatives. Of a promised 10,000 TL, we have only collected 1,500 TL in cash and labor.

Finally, I wanted to share with you all that we are having a Bahçe Günü (Garden Day) on Friday at 4pm. This will be a day where the local community works to beautify the exterior of the center. Our plans include planting trees and flowers donated by a local florist, as well as cleaning up the trash on our site. Attendees to include the Biga mayor, the Bikad women's cooperative, the Biga Women and Children's Center teachers and volunteers, and the local press.

Thanks for all the support!!

all my best,

Jill :)