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‘They need help now;’ Charity boxing match raises funds for earthquake victims

DAYTON — A charity boxing match here in the Miami Valley is hoping to make a big difference from over 5,000 miles away.

>>PHOTOS: Turkey Earthquake Fundraiser

News Center 7′s Taylor Robertson says people gathered at the Ahiska Turkish Community Center in Dayton on Sunday to raise money for those hurt in the earthquake in Turkey.

“I’m saying, man, this is never going to stop,” said Margot Blondet. “They need help.”

Margot Blondet and her husband, Daniel, told Robertson after they saw the damage left behind by the earthquakes that rocked Turkey and Syria, they knew they had to do something.

>>Photos: Thousands killed in earthquake in Turkey and Syria

“And I say, well, you do your thing and I’ll do my thing,” said Daniel Meza-Cuadra. “And my thing is boxing, her thing is food. So, we both did it.”

Robertson says Daniel owns DMC Boxing in Centerville and Margot owns Salar in the Oregon District.

The couple called their friend, the founder of Ahiska Turkish Community Center in Dayton, to come up with a way they could help.

>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Turkish American Society holds bake sale to benefit earthquake victims

Together, they decided to put on a boxing exhibition where anybody could buy a $25 ticket to watch the fights.

“100% of the proceeds going to charity,” said Daniel.

The boxers were all local students with Turkish roots and Margot told Robertson that when they found out about the event, they were more than willing to help out.

“As soon as they learned that he was doing this,” she said. “All the kids wanted to help, so, they’re doing like a showing off. It’s like from little kids, from seven years-old to like, my age.”

>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Local Turkish community center accepting donations for those impacted by deadly earthquake

Robertson reports all of the money will go to the Volunteer Community Kitchen in Haytay, a Turkish town devastated by the earthquakes.

As of now, the kitchen is able to feed 500 people a day, but it’s hoping to double that number.

“They can feed five people, three meals a day,” said Daniel.

“They don’t need help like a month from now,” Margot told Robertson. “They need help now because they’re hungry.”

>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Turkey, Syria earthquake: Newborn, mother rescued from collapsed building as death toll rises

Robertson says there will be another fundraising event at Salar next Sunday, February 26, starting at 5 p.m.

It will feature meals from Turkish women living right here in the Miami Valley.

For information on how to buy tickets, visit this website.

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