Any minute now, a delegation of officials from Soke, Turkey, are expected to arrive in Salinas.
They'll be in Monterey County for a week-long sister city tour, visiting farm fields, lettuce processing plants, and Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System.
The visit also takes them to the Peninsula for the Turkish Festival Saturday at Custom House Plaza, plus stops at Dennis the Menace Park, Colton Hall and Cannery Row.
Last fall, members of the Salinas Rotary Club visited Soke. Like Salinas, it's an agricultural city near a coastal tourist destination on the Aegean Sea.
Soke and Salinas became sister cities, forming a cross-cultural learning relationship.
"The goal is exchange of ideas, fellowship and business opportunities," Salinas City Councilman Steve McShane (and Rotary Club member) said in a statement. "Through this relationship, we will explore trade, technology, government progress, education and health care."
McShane hosts the Turkish delegation for dinner tonight at his home, kicking off their week.
This sister city effort is being led by Yavuz Atila, CEO of Monterey-based Monterey Bay Technologies, Inc., and a volunteer with the Turkish-American Association of California.
Atila has a history of working with Monterey Bay cities establishing connections to Turkey. In 2007, he partnered with former Monterey City Councilman Nancy Selfridge toform a sister city relationship between Monterey and Kusadasi, Turkey, a popular tourist town on the Aegean Sea, located just 8 miles from Soke.
The Soke delegation will tour Monterey County farms Wednesday with Agricultural Commissioner Eric Lauritzen. Tentative stops are Monterey Mushrooms, Matsui Orchids, Santa Lucia Highlands Winery and various lettuce fields being harvested.
The itinerary includes shopping excursions at Northridge Mall and the 600-800 blocks of Alisal Street.
The group will visit Taylor Farms headquarters (soon to relocate to a new building in Oldtown Salinas), the Hartnell College Alisal campus, the Salinas fire and police departments and Sherwood Hall.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.