We Visit Them – Beginning in 2001

2001 Trip One: An Official Visit Twelve Pleasant Hill area residents, only three of whom had ever been to Turkey before, embarked on a two-week adventure to visit our sister city. Places they explored included Istanbul, Ankara, Gordion, Eskisehir, Bursa, Nicaea, Amasya, and, naturally, Merzifon. Two memorable events that occurred in Merzifon included participating in the opening ceremony for the dedication of Pleasant Hill Park and taking part in Merzifon's annual disabled and handicapped awareness parade.

2002 Trip Two: A Tourist Visit The 2002 trip was actually three tours in one. First, a group composed of seven tourists, mainly from Pleasant Hill, enjoyed several days in Merzifon and Amasya, as well as in Istanbul and Ankara. Next, these folks were joined by another group of seven led by Pastor Dick Brewer and, together, these explorers traveled to Gallipoli, the seven Churches of Revelation, Pamukkale, Konya, and Cappadocia. Finally, Pastor Dick Brewer and John Blake took off on a fantastic two-week adventure in northeastern, eastern, and southeastern Turkey

2003 Trip Three: Wheelchairs Are Delivered Four members of Friends of Merzifon assumed responsibility for delivering 280 wheelchairs to the disabled and handicapped folks of Merzifon and its outlying villages. The funds to purchase these wheelchairs were raised by FoM and Pleasant Hill Rotary, which were then matched by the Wheelchair Foundation of Danville, California, for the total amount needed. The wheelchair distribution was made in the newly built Community Center in Merzifon..

2004 Trip Four: The Summer School Project Friends of Merzifon was able to recruit twelve volunteers, ranging in age from 15 to 84, to teach English to 72 Turkish children in Merzifon. The project encompassed three weeks and included much local hospitality, activities, and sightseeing for the teachers. Following the summer session, several of the teachers took time to tour other parts of Turkey, such as the Black Sea coast from Sinop to Trabzon.

2005 Trip Five: Marty Schimbor was on the Merzifon Summer School Project 2004 teaching team. Richard Hoehnle joined her on the faculty for Merzifon Summer School 2005. Both are excellent photographers. They took hundreds, if not thousands, of photos during our five weeks in Turkey in June and July 2005. We have assembled two photo galleries of their work (Marty Schimbor's Gallery and Richard Hoehnle's Gallery). They have a keen eye for detail, for composition, for human interest, and for the unusual. Moreover, their faithful and determined recording of our surroundings and of our many activities result in two very interesting collections. It was exceedingly difficult to choose but 48 pictures from each of their outstanding compilations. We hope you enjoy these memories of our summer in Turkey!

"To support and encourage mutual visits by the citizens of both cities"