TCDD Balıkesir Directorate employees held their traditional lokma charity event, which they organized for the 27th time this year, next to the historical station building. In the event organized to commemorate their deceased colleagues and offer their prayers, lokma and ayran were served to approximately 5 thousand people.
In addition to TCDD employees, many citizens also participated in the lokma charity event held in front of the historical Balıkesir Station. The event attracted great interest. Organizing Committee Chairman Halil Özlü provided information about the origin of the charity event and said that they started this tradition in memory of the railway workers who were martyred and injured in a tragic accident at Porsuk Station 30 years ago. Özlü said, “We traditionally organize this charity event every April. Within the scope of the charity event we organized with the money collected among the TCDD Balıkesir Operations Directorate employees, lokma made from 19 sacks of flour, 5 kg of cheese and bags of ayran were distributed to 70 thousand people this year.”
Lokmas to be Delivered to Stations, Mawlid Recited
Halil Özlü, who stated that the freshly prepared lokma will not only be served to those who participate in the charity, stated that it will also be sent to the personnel friends working at all stations on the Bandırma-Balıkesir-Soma route. Özlü, who emphasized that this beautiful tradition is the first of its kind among public institutions, also shared an emotional memory about how the charity started: “27 years ago, we received the news of the death of a retired railwayman in the maneuver room. We decided to organize a lokma charity for our friends who were there that day, as well as for our railwaymen who were martyred on duty and died while retired. It was decided to organize such a charity organization for those who are still actively working and also against accidents and troubles. This beautiful organization has become a tradition. It is being organized for the 27th time this year. Hopefully, we will continue to do this charity in the coming years.”
It was also stated that in order to further strengthen the spiritual atmosphere of the Lokma charity, the Mevlid-i Sharif was recited before the Friday prayers on Friday, April 25 at the Şeyh Lütfullah Mosque and Gökköy Organized Industrial Zone Edip Uğur Mosque to protect workers from accidents and troubles and for deceased railway workers. Organizing Committee Chairman Halil Özlü thanked everyone who contributed to the organization of the charity.
Sacrifice was made in memory of the martyrs, thank you messages were published
In this meaningful lokma charity organized by TCDD employees for their deceased colleagues, a sheep was also slaughtered in memory of the martyrs and deceased railway workers. This act once again revealed the sense of solidarity and loyalty of the railway community.
President Halil Özlü thanked TCDD Taşımacılık A.Ş. İzmir Regional Manager Bayram Şahin, Regional Assistant Manager Sevtap Katırcı, Passenger Services Service Manager Aykut Özay, Freight Services Assistant Manager Mehmet Kayıksız, Demiryol-İş İzmir Branch Manager Hamdullah Giral, Ulaştırma Memur Sen İzmir Branch Manager Saim Hamarat, who participated in the lokma charity, as well as retired railway workers, colleagues and the valuable people of Balıkesir who could not participate in the charity but sent their best wishes. This traditional lokma charity has been held for years as a meaningful event reflecting the spirit of unity and solidarity of the TCDD community.
