Within the scope of the collaborations of Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU), Faculty of Tourism, Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department, EMU Community Involvement Center (CIC) and Bellapais Begonvil Inner Wheel Club (BBIWK), various special events have been organized on the occasion of the Elderly Week. In this regard, a ‘Zeyintinli-Hellimli Bulla’ (Traditional Cypriot Bread with Olive and Halloumi) Making Workshop was organized with EMU Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department academic staff member Chef Tanya Kilitkayalı.
Total of 45 people consisting members of Ötüken Village Women’s Center, Ötüken Special Education Center teachers and students, EMU Education Faculty, Special Education Department trainee teachers, representatives of the Iskele Municipality and BBIWK members attended the event.
The custom design aprons prepared by BBIWK members were presented to the children and Chef Tanya Kilitkayalı before the bulla making session. Children had great time during the event. Tourism Faculty Dean Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mine Haktanır and Vice Dean Assist. Prof. Dr. İlkay Yorgancı also attended the workshop, showing support to Chef Tanya Kilitkayalı. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Haktanır expressed their contentment on hosting such a beautiful and special event.
Speaking on behalf of the Inner Wheel members participating the event, the Chair of the Inner Wheel Club, Eser Ruso Özyalçın, provided information about the club and expressed happiness for their involvement with children and elderly individuals through the Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) Tourism Faculty and the Community Involvement Center. Also delivering a speech, Özge Yiğit, the Responsible Teacher of the Ötüken Special Education Center, mentioned that when the EMU CIC Board visited their school, the project was just a small seedling in terms of idea, but later, the Chair of CIC, Nazenin Ruso Kandemir, took that seedling, nurtured it into a sapling, and with the collaboration of EMU Tourism Faculty, Begonvil Inner Wheel Club, Chef Tanya Kilitkayalı, and Iskele Municipality, this sapling has grown into a tree.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Haktanır presented Responsible Teacher Özge Yiğit from Ötüken Special Education Center and BBIWK Club’s Chair Eser Özyalçın flowers for their contributions in the realization of the event. Moreover, all the participants received certificates of appreciation for their participation.
At the event, sponsored by BBIWK for materials and Iskele Municipality for transportation, pastries made during the event and gift bags prepared by BBIWK members were distributed to 18 different elderly homes previously identified, accompanied by students from the Ötüken Special Education Center. The project aimed to teach young children to be respectful towards elders and to convey the message to the elderly that they are not alone.