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EVENTS 2011
The Dalyan X-mas and New Year’s Fair
 On
December 10th Dalyan’s first X-mas and New Year’s fair was organised by
Dalyan Dernek, the oldest of the local charity organisations.
Where
we have been very active at the beach this year, this was in fact the
first time that we presented ourselves
to a wider public in Dalyan
itself. The lovely weather on market day helped to make the Fair a great
success, both publicity-wise and for raising funds. The day showed that
the Dalyan associations can work together.
We ourselves were
particularly pleased to welcome some new Friends and volunteers to
support our foundation. HAYTAP visiting Dalyan
Just
when we thought that the season had ended and were planning to clear the
Hut as a preparation for winter, Mebrure Kuzey-Blom of the Dalyan dog
sanctuary came to June to hand her an invitation.
 During
the Feast of Sacrifice HAYTAP, the Animal Rights Federation of Turkey,
were having their 4th national representatives’ meeting. Thanks to a
very persistent Mebrure, one of the four days would be spent in Dalyan
including a visit to Kaptan June’s Hut and the Sea Turtle Rehab Centre.
Of course June was invited for all of the day’s program, a boat trip,
lunch at Denizkızı, a visit to the dog sanctuary, the visit to Iztuzu
and dinner. Our first project
 One
of the main hazards for sea turtles in the Dalyan waterways is shell
cuts by propeller crashes. The boat fleet operating on the Dalyan
waterways amounts to 500-600 boats, and only a handful has propeller
protection. There-fore we decided that the first project of the new
foundation would be the promotion of propeller caging.
 Our
team of Volunteers
People of different nationalities have
voluntarily offered their time and effort to make our maiden year a
success. Their efforts included managing the foundation, accounting,
writing project plans, meeting with officials, converting the Hut into a
PR centre, informing visitors, translating, supplying our Gift Shop,
and many more chores ... 11 May 2011: June
Welcomed at Buckıngham Palace
It did not pass unnoticed in the Turkish press that Kaptan June would be
awarded an MBE for work done in Turkey! See a Turkish video report made
in January 2011: Kraliçe tarafından onurlandırıldı
On 11 May June Haimoff-Fairey was received at Buckingham Palace to be
awarded an MBE for her "services to environmental conservation and the
protection of endangered turtles in Turkey", a recognition for her many
years of splendid work. More photos and video will follow ...
6 May 2011:
Fırst General Meetıng
 After
publication in the Resmi Gazete on 9 April 2011, the Foundation finally
got its official status and could call its first general meeting for 6
May. After a general introduction about the vision and goals of the
Foundation, the Board of Directors was officially elected.
The
meeting was tri-lingual (Turkish, English and German) to suit Foundation
members of different nationalities. Besides June Haimoff (1st
President), the Board of Directors consists of Bahar Suseven (2nd
President), Thomas Schmitz (3rd President),
Sue Taylor (Accountant)
and Abidin Kurt (Secretary), all of whom have been close and loyal
friends of June’s for many years.
11 APRIL 2011:
Propeller Guard Project
 Unfortunately loggerhead turtles and Nile Turtles regularly suffer from
severe shell cuts by propeller strikes. Therefore the first project of
the new foundation is aimed at encouraging local boat captains to fit
propeller guards. To this end a get-together was staged with Atilla
Gültekin (manager of the Dalyan Kooperatifi), Özleyiş Çakır (director/engineer
of Emek Marin) and representatives of the Foundation to discuss the
desirability of fitting specifically designed prop guards onto the boats
of the Boat Cooperative. The foundation will give eight guards to the
Dalyan Boat Cooperative as a first incentive to contribute to
responsible eco-tourism on the Dalyan waterways. Okçular-based
Cooperative captain Ali Topcuoğlu is the proud owner of the first prop
guard.
See press article:
24 FEBRUARY 2011: Positive Court Decision !
After months of waiting we finally received word that the
KAPTAN JUNE SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION FOUNDATION
has been accepted and confirmed in court.
See press article :
kaptan june sea turtle foundation gets official go ahead
EVENTS 2010
Seeing the Notary at Denizli
 Thanks to the donations of generous benefactors, 11 November 2010 will
enter the Caretta caretta history books as the date at which the
official establishment of the Kaptan June Sea Turtle Conservation
Foundation started. It is the first foundation of its kind in Turkey,
since other environmentally oriented foundations are not focused on the
conservation of these special species.
After a long ride to Denizli, June and her companions met with Professor
Yakup Kaska at the Pamukkale University. After discussing any pitfalls
in the Foundation’s Constitution, the company joined for lunch.
Around 3 pm June Haimoff and her fellow-founders Yakup Kaska, Bahar (Heike
) Suseven, Yasemin Pekyürek and Abidin Kurt, signed the foundation’s
constitution at the notary in Denizli. The meeting was a very
pleasurable one in a very relaxed atmosphere.
 Realising this important milestone after the painstaking process of
bringing together the 50,000 TL asset required by the Turkish government,
was an emotional moment for all the company gathered.
The process of establishment will probably take another 1 – 2 months.
Any new developments will be reported on this web page.
Gala Evening
April 2010 saw the reunion of two elders of the environmental movement.
Dr. David Bellamy and June Haimoff, incredibly energetic eco-warriors,
came together to commemorate the ‘Battle for Dalyan’ and reignite
awareness for sea turtles and Iztuzu Beach, Dalyan in southwest Turkey.
A Gala Evening was held on Saturday 10th April to raise funds towards
the establishment of the Kaptan June Sea Turtle Conservation Foundation.
It proved to be a successful evening, raising 6,000 Turkish Liras. The
Foundation will be an enduring facility for raising revenue to enable
educational opportunities for Turkish young people to attend University
and study Environmental Sciences as well as raising funds for other
environmental purposes. It will be overseen by the Pamukkale University
with June being the Patron.
The guest of honour at the Gala Evening was the world famous
environmentalist Professor Sir David Bellamy who in the 80's supported
June in her fight to keep this beach free of development and preserve
the nesting grounds. Professor Bellamy attended the Gala Evening and
enjoyed Breakfast on the Beach with Kaptan June and others the next day.
Breakfast on the Beach
Are you interested in meeting Kaptan June personally?
Why not join us for "Breakfast on the Beach with Kaptan June"? These are
regularly held at the Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Centre on Iztuzu Beach
and are supported by a donation.
For the next date please telephone (+90)5386019220 |
