Zayder treats kids to ‘Secret Santa’ party
CHILDREN supported by the Olive Tree Solidarity Association (Zayder) were treated to a Secret Santa party on Saturday.
The event, organised by wedding planner Teresa Cefa, went ahead after she met with Zayder chairman Rabia Özcömert and Lapta Mayor Mustafa Aktuğ who both supported the idea.
Ms Cefa was given a list of 85 needy children aged from two to 17 and launched an appeal for gifts to be dropped off at the Best
Seller bookshop in Alsancak and the Black Olive Café.
Underprivileged children were brought to the party at Karşıyaka Park Café on two coaches.
They ate food, played and had their faces painted and were given their presents by Santa.
Each child received a bag of sweets donated by Best Mar shop and a 20TL voucher generously provided by the Mr Pound chain store, where they stopped by on their way back home.
“I was shocked at how quickly people came forward offering to buy gifts for these kids,” Ms Cefa said.
“There were so many offers to help from the expat community it was just so nice to see everyone coming together.
“Everyone was so generous. I asked Best Mar if they would donate some sweets and they were only too happy to help . . . I had already spoken to Mr Pound to make sure it would be okay to bring the kids and I have to say that Harun Yaranoğlu, the general manager, could not have been more helpful.
“The kids were so excited to be stopping there on their way home to spend their [gift] cards. I can’t thank the expat community enough for all their help in donating the gifts, acting as Santa, being there on the day to help and for one lady to collect the money from her English friends for the Mr Pound shopping trip.”