Farm families delighted by Turkish generosity

More than 40 sponsors, including entrepreneur Dick Smith, Kelloggs, Dairy Farmers and individuals from the Sydney Turkish community, donated goods, services and cash to enable Mr Beha to launch the Young Turks Farm Hand Drive. The drive was mentioned several times on Sydney radio, and singled out by Prime Minister John Howard, Premier Bob Carr and Auburn MP Barbara Perry, all of whom sent messages of support. Three days before the party, Mr Beha loaded a Hopleys Transport semi-trailer, climbed into an Orix three-tonne rental truck (both donated) and made the eight-hour trip to ‘Carlton’, 50 kilometres north of Nyngan, where he set up a coolroom donated by Scott’s Auto Parts of Dubbo and started cooking 120 kilograms of meat donated by wholesaler Sydney Kebabs. The $4000 of cash donations were spent at Nyngan Supermarket to add to the grocery haul, and to hampers for each family to take home. At ‘Carlton’ Mr Beha and family and 11 other Turkish friends served up Turkish fare including tabouleh, hommus and Turkish delight. Before any guest was allowed to leave, their car was loaded up with a hamper which included fresh fruit and vegetables donated by Flemington markets, a carton of rice from SunRice, flour and sugar from Manildra, NeverFail and Mountain Fresh water, long-life milk, fresh eggs, Turkish biscuits, Kellogg’s cereals, and non-perishable products.Event co-organiser, John Hall, was stunned at the generosity of Mr Beha and his team. "I have known Bill and his family for 25 years and have always been amazed at their hospitality," Mr Hall said. "Many local business were also keen to help out if needed. The support for this project was astounding."