To celebrate the National Sovereignty of Turkey and Children’s Day, the TAAA came together on Sunday, April 25, at the Park Trace Clubhouse in Hoover for a day of fun and games for the children and barbequing for the adults. More than 70 people came to the event, including several families and students from Tuscaloosa. From potatoes to köfte and brownies to baklava, every TAAA member and guest contributed something to the feast, and of course, a TAAA get-together would not be complete without Turkish coffee and tea.

The kids played games and even had a quiz on facts about Turkey, with questions like what the country flower of Turkey is; throughout the event, the kids received gifts from the organization and also had the opportunity to take a swim in the clubhouse pool! Instead of swimming, some of the boys and (even some adults!) played soccer on a field in the area, only a few minutes away.

As the event came to a close, several members and guests came together for a Turkish folk dance before everyone said their goodbyes for the night.

On May 22, the TAAA came together for a relaxing day in the sun to celebrate the Commemoration of Ataturk and the Youth & Sports Day. The organization decided to take a trip to the Oak Mountain Park in Birmingham, where many pet owners brought along their dogs for a hike up to a beautiful waterfall in the park. The TAAA also had a picnic; some enjoyed their lunch in the cool shade of the trees while others dined by the water, watching the kids and dogs play. They even had the pleasure of drinking Turkish tea that two members (thank you, Ayse and Ferhat!) of the organization brought! Overall, it was a wonderful day for unwinding and just hanging out with friends of the TAAA.