Over 50 federal, state and city officials, including US Senators and Representatives, Ohio Governor and legislators, Dayton City Mayor, City Manager and Commissioners, as well as the Ohio State Troopers and Dayton Police Department, Montgomery County Republic and Democratic Party Chairpersons, and school teachers, joined over 400 Ahiska Turkish American families for the inauguration of the new Ahiska Turkish American Community Center building.
Following a welcome statement by ATACC President, Islom Shakhbandarov, ATAA Board of Directors Member and Past President Gunay Evinch provided opening remarks as both the lawyer in the purchase of the former Bomberger Center by ATACC, and as a Turkish American national leader:
"Look at just how far we have come. When I was a kid in the 1970s in San Francisco, we held Islamic studies at nearby synagogue. We had Turkish language classes in a room in a nearby Catholic Church. Today, your kids have a 25,000 square-foot community center, which includes basketball courts, weight room, showers and lockers, cafeteria, tea room, computer lab, child care center and a mosque. Wow!
"Dayton is blessed to have you, and you are blessed to have Dayton as your new home. Russia kicked you out, but it's America's and Turkey's gain. When you go down the streets of this neighborhood, you can tell where the Turks live. They have rebuilt, renovated, re-painted, re-planted, and regenerated their communities. The ripple effect through Dayton has been more like a tsunami of the American Dream.
"I would like to quote from the Pledge of Allegiance, to remind us what America stands for:
One Nation - Bir Vatan
Under God - Tanrı'ya emanet
Indivisible - Bölünmez
With liberty and justice for all - herkes için özgürlük ve adalet ile"
Following Evinch, representatives from the Federation of Turkish American Associations (FTAA) and Turkish American Community Centers (TACC) provided commendations.
Turkish Embassy Religious Affairs Counselor Imam Yasar Colak provided blessings. Turkish Consul General to Chicago, Fatih Yildiz, expressed Turkey's solidarity with the Ahiskans and the United States in helping refugees rebuild their lives and achieve success. Dayton Mayor Gary Leitzell concluded by promising full support to any person who pursues the American Dream.
The Ahiska Turkish American Community Center is ATAA's newest local chapter, as ATAA's membership continues to grow. ATAA is America's largest democratically elected, non-faith-based Turkish American membership grassroots organization.
