Running - A Water Well in Honor of My Grandparents

Update:

With heavy hearts, we share that on Friday July 25th, our beloved Grandma passed away. Please keep our family in your prayers. We are so close to reaching the goal and building a Water well in their name.

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Hi, my name is Seyma (Erenli) Kraemer, and I’m running a half marathon to honor two very important people in my life:

My grandmother, Münüre Baygin Özgök, who is currently in palliative care, and

My grandfather, Mehmet Özgök, who passed away six years ago.

On August 10th, I will be completing this run. This isn’t just a run.

It’s a tribute to resilience, sacrifice, and love.

In the 1970s, my grandparents migrated from Türkiye to Australia with their three children: Sebahat, Emin, and Ayşe—my mother. They left behind everything they knew and endured hardship to build a better life for the generations that followed.

Because of them, I’ve had the privilege of living between two worlds, rooted in my Turkish heritage while growing up in Australia. Their sacrifices gave me the freedom to pursue dreams they never had the chance to: I played football at the highest level, studied and played college soccer in the U.S and represented the Türkiye Women’s National Team.

Their legacy runs deep:

• 10 grandchildren

• 17 great-grandchildren

• And a lifetime marked by strength, humility, and love

Their grandchildren have built lives that reflect the values passed down by our grandparents, working in corporate careers, opening restaurants, running businesses in trades, and creating ventures in wellness and community care. Every path taken is a reflection of the foundation they laid.

To honor them, I will run.

And in their name, I’m raising $4,000 to fund the construction of a water well through Hasene Australia, a trusted charity our family has supported for years.

Why a water well?

Access to clean water transforms lives. It brings health, dignity, and opportunity to entire communities. It’s a lasting gift, one that mirrors the spirit of generosity and resilience my grandparents embodied.

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How You Can Help

Any amount helps—whether it’s $5 or $50. Together, we can build something meaningful and lasting in honor of two people whose sacrifices created opportunity for so many of us.

This is for them.

This is for resilience.

This is for love, legacy, and hope.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Seyma (Erenli) Kraemer