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Dear GoodLetter readers,

John Gokcen was a long way from home.

A devastating 7.4 magnitude earthquake had rocked his birthplace in western Turkey. It was August 17, 1999, and all Gokcen could do was stare at the television screen in Seattle, distraught and stunned at the temblor's magnitude, and wonder what had happened to his family. The phone lines were down, and the delay was painful as he awaited news that his immediate family in Istanbul had survived. He soon learned the tragic news that his wife's great-aunt had not.

Gokcen's mind was filled with the sense of powerlessness that typically paralyzes us when we hear of such disasters. How can we possibly do anything to help? How do we even know where to begin to connect to relief efforts? Isn't the extent of the damage too vast for one person to make a difference? For Gokcen, these questions didn't linger. Instead of sighing deeply and turning the channel, he decided to reach out to Turkish quake victims from thousands and thousands of miles away.

A Boeing Company engineer, Gokcen knew a Turkish Airlines flight would be leaving the plant two days later for delivery to its base in Turkey. He also knew about his company's International Relief Delivery Flights, a program that uses empty space on newly built airplanes to transport humanitarian aid throughout the world. He contacted the director of Turkish Airlines and learned the plane was already scheduled for a relief flight that had been planned prior to the earthquake. He enlisted the participation of fellow Boeing employees and, within 24 hours, had collected 8,000 pounds of food, blankets, clothing, and medical supplies. Working through Boeing's relief flights program, he was able to get the emergency goods on the plane.

Portland, Oregon-based Northwest Medical Teams, a frequent Boeing relief flight collaborator, also placed six volunteer medical workers on the flight as well as enough emergency medical supplies to treat 10,000 people as part of a nearly five-month, on-the-ground effort. A team doctor recalls the scene: "People were just sitting in the rubble and were overcome by it, but the fact that people had come so far to help was really encouraging to people."

Another relief flight followed a month later, and Boeing and Turkish Airlines invited Gokcen on board. He had connected with Rotary Club officials in Turkey to direct the distribution of supplies to tent settlements, including 100 dialysis machines donated by Northwest Kidney Centers, to ensure they reached those in greatest need. "I wanted to see that our efforts were not in vain. It turns out they were reaching the right people, especially kids," he said. He returned to the U.S. to continue his drive and helped to supply a later Boeing relief flight that followed in January 2000. In the meantime, Boeing had donated $250,000 in direct aid to the Turkish Red Crescent Society and had had set up a fund enabling employees to donate directly to the American Red Cross, World Relief, the British Red Cross, and Feed the Children.

With the support of his company's innovative yet common-sense program to add just a little more value to a typical product delivery, Gokcen could both think and act globally at the same time and set a powerful example. Opportunistically, he built an important, vital link between his two homes.

GOODTHINGS (e-mail us)

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TALK ABOUT IT
Have you or your company been involved in unique, creative efforts to provide international aid? What have you done to lend a hand and make your world feel just a little smaller? Tell us your story.

LEARN MORE ABOUT IT
In the past decade, Boeing has coordinated 125 relief flights through 41 of its customers, transporting roughly two million pounds of humanitarian assistance to 30 countries.

Understand the scope of the August 1999 Turkey earthquake through photographs.

DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT
Find out how you can support ongoing efforts to help the people of Turkey and victims of other international disasters.




Readers Respond

Dear GoodThings,

When we live in a world that exploits the negative, an ordinary person strives to do extraordinary things. Gocken should be applauded for realizing the obvious and taking the time to act upon it as we all should. Today is the first time I viewed your Web site, it's now on my favorites. Thanks for the breath of fresh air in a negative world.

Kevin Kerr

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