Gladiator Award Winner ~ 2020 December

The Babbitt Family Foundation is proud to announce the first winner of the Gladiator Award: Fevzi Uyar! Through his actions and dedication, Mr. Uyar inspires those around him. We are pleased to share his story with you.

Mr. Uyar, 71, retired from his career as a biology teacher after serving his community for 42 years. Over the past five years, he has cared for homeless dogs in his area, including building over 80 plywood houses for shelter during the winter months. He adds carpets, rugs, and blankets as insulation and to improve the dogs’ comfort. Mr. Uyar travels 150km every two days to furnish homeless dogs with food and water. With other animal lovers’ help, he supplies 8–10 tons of dog food every month. As many as 1,000 dogs now recognize his van and follow it along his established route of feeding locations.

Often encountering animals in need of medical attention, Mr. Uyar incurred several thousand dollars of debt to a local veterinarian. Despite having retired from teaching, he enrolled in a veterinary medicine program so he could continue providing medical care to vulnerable strays. Recently graduated at the age of 71, he now vaccinates the animals, as well as treating and dressing any wounds. Mr. Uyar has come to be known in his community as the “grandfather” of these homeless creatures.

We hope Mr. Uyar’s story will inspire you to discover how “a single individual can contribute to changing the world and benefitting all humanity” (Buckminster Fuller). How will you make a difference today? Be your own Gladiator and improve the world!

Originally published at https://www.babbittfamilyfoundation.org on December 27, 2020.