Charity dippers
Hardy expats and even a few locals took the plunge at three sponsored Christmas and New Year’s Eve swims to raise thousands for cancer charity. ANNE CANALP reports.
SWIMMERS braved the waves on a sunny Christmas Day at Çatalköy and İskele, while more “Chilly Dippers” turned out on a rainy New Year’s Eve morning in Lapta — and hopes are high that their efforts will have boosted cancer charity funds by more than 20,000TL.
A crowd of 50 turned out at 10am on Christmas morning at Çatalköy’s Acapulco Beach to cheer on 17 swimmers as they completed their 15-minute dip to raise money for the Kemal Saraçoğlu Foundation for Children with Leukaemia and the Fight Against Cancer.
Fezile Karakurt, a volunteer with the Help Those With Cancer Association (Tulips), won 2,000TL sponsorship from Özyalçın Construction and was joined on her fourth annual dip by her husband Tuncer and mum Semra.
She said: “We went in as a family and it was absolutely lovely! It wasn’t too warm but there were some big waves as the Acapulco Beach is more open than Shayna Beach where we used to do the swim. We really enjoyed our complimentary brandies afterwards and then went out for a slap-up meal.”
Özyalçın Construction PR and marketing assistant Ledün Caymaz said: “We decided to sponsor Fezile as we Cypriots generally don’t come out of our comfort zone, especially in the sea on Christmas Day!
“We also would love to see more local people join in such a good fundraising cause and I myself am hoping to do just that next Christmas!”
Organiser Barbara Fursman made her fifth annual foray into the waves but it was too cold for husband Graham, who took up his camera to record the event as Çatalköy Municipality’s Ahmet Rençber stood in for Mayor Mehmet Hulusioğlu for the countdown.
Mrs Fursman said: “It was lovely — not at all cold and a much nicer venue this year. Four of us are over 70 and most of the rest of us are in our sixties, although we were missing four or five members of our aquarobics group who were in the UK.
“We have high hopes of beating last year’s 10,000TL
total and will announce the total here at Acapulco on Monday at an 11am presenation when we will be thanking all our sponsors.”
Teas and coffees provided by the Acapulco Hotel added an extra 170TL to the harity takings, and Mrs Fursman added: “Next year should be even better and we are still hoping to get more local people involved.”
Just 30 minutes later, 30 İskele residents headed by Chrissie Bara took their plunge at the municipality’s Mackenzie Beach to raise funds for their local branch of Tulips.
Over 100 people turned out to cheer on the intrepid bathers as İskele Mayor Hasan Sadıkoğlu opened the proceedings with Christmas music and cakes, pastries, tea, coffee and water from the municipality café which was opened for the occasion.
Mrs Bara said: “This is my third annual dip. It was a fantastic effort by all, the best turn-out yet, and is now part of the social calendar every year. Our thanks go out to İskele Municipality for all their support, and to all our sponsors. We estimate that we have raised 2,610TL for our local Help Those With Cancer charity from what was a lovely mix of communities on the day.”
An equally good turnout at Lapta’s Fly Inn promises to exceed last year’s 10,000TL total after 14 “Chilly Dippers” were cheered on by scores of wellwishers on the last day of 2017 for a rainy 10-minute foray into the sea.
The annual event, formerly hosted at Kervansaray, saw the Tulips banner raised on the beach before the countdown began for the mainly expat group, together with family and friends aged from 40 to 60plus.
Organiser Jackie Pennington said: “I can’t imagine what the lone spearfisherman at sea was thinking, but he looked mystified to see us all wade in. Also we got one local to join in who works at the nearby Calamari restaurant! We’ll be back here again next year and hope to see many more take part.”
Piping hot lentil soup was provided post-swim for all who took part, supplemented by plenty of mulled wine which was provided by Jenny Brown and which raised an extra 500TL for Tulips.
A presentation will be held at the Fly Inn at 7pm on Wednesday, January 24.