DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) – Nearly two weeks after the devastating earthquake, Dayton’s Turkish-American community center and a boxing club teamed up to help the people displaced.
DMC Boxing and the Ahiska Turkish Community Center joined forces by hosting a boxing match Sunday afternoon.
“They’re going to start trading punches to see if we can help feed some of the people in Turkey,” owner of DMC Boxing Daniel Meza-Cuadra said.
After seeing the images and hearing about the devastation the earthquakes brought to Turkey and Syria, Meza-Cuadra said this event allowed the boxers to do what they love to do, while doing something to help the people in Turkey.
“Boxing is my passion, and that’s why I do what I do, and, you know, hopefully we can help,” Meza-Cuadra said.
All proceeds from the exhibition will go to food banks in the affected provinces of Turkey.
“We are happy to serve, and we are very thankful for everybody who actually support and come here tonight,” Turkish-American Community Center member Ali Shakhmandarov said.
The match included 20 boxers of different ages and from eight different nations, including Turkey. The boxer said they were more than willing to get involved for a good cause.
“I think it’s great for the boxers to get in the ring and fight and also the fundraising for what’s happening in Turkey,” boxer Samuel Wildenhaus said.
While the matches in this ring are now complete, the fight isn’t over for the countless families in Turkey who lost loved ones and their homes.
“We ask for prayers, we ask for you to contribute, we asked for you to come down and offer whatever you were able,” Turkish-American Community Center Board Member Anthony Whitmore said.
The Dayton community will still be helping the people in Turkey next Sunday, Salar restaurant in the Oregon District is selling tickets for a community dinner that will benefit the earthquake victims.
