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First awarded in 2005, the Golden Cevapcici Award is coveted by all. The highly sought after pile of plaster meat is generally awarded biennially (every two years) to the attendee who best exemplifies the Tenets of Turkey Run while particularly displaying year-round Spirit for Turkey Run. It has also served as somewhat of a “lifetime achievement award” for some of its recipients. The award is to be proudly displayed in the recipient’s home for the two year period before being returned to Turkey Run for the next presentation.
 

Traditionally, the Founding Members make the final call on the recipient, though may call on the opinion of the Councilmen in the event that the Founding Members are in disagreement.

Another possible scenario might be one Founding Member feeling strongly that the other is the most deserving of the award. This takes devising somewhat of a scheme to fool the deserving Founding Member into thinking they both agree on another attendee deserving the award. At that point, that Founding Member must consult with the alternate nominee and seek his approval to award the other nominated Founding Member. While the other nominee may choose to not support the Founding Member's nomination, it would be highly frowned upon and seen as an act of disrespect and selfishness in the name of taking the award for himself.

If in the unlikely event that both Founding Members are scheming to nominate the other, the nominee that both Founding Members "agreed" upon shall consult with the Councilmen to choose the final recipient. The senior-most Councilman shall make the presentation of the award.

 
 
2005 :: Jovan Zelenkovich    
Completely taken aback, Jovan is the proud inaugural recipient of the Golden Cevapcici Award as Scott looks on with great pride. His nomination, a culmination of nearly 20 years of attendance to Serb Fest and his undeniable role in the continued success of Serb Fest.
 
     
2007 :: Scott Berger    
Nominated by Jovan Zelenkovich for his "lifetime achievement" and numerous contributions to TR including the maintenance of TR Online and participation in organizing TR each year. Scott stands proudly displaying his award at his home in Naperville, IL prior to TR 2009.
 
     
2009 :: Charlie Ruiz    
Charlie was unanimously voted on by Founding Members Scott Berger & Jovan Zelenkovich, heralded as having displayed countless instances of Teamwork not only at TR 09, but in each of his past Serb Fest attendances. He was also recognized for his being living proof that the Spirit of Turkey Run does not begin and end on Memorial Day Weekend, but is something that should live with you each and every day of the year.  
     
2011 :: Jeff Heitzman    
Nutz's history with modern day Serb Fest including his witnessing of the infamous TR 1999, his coining of the term “Fire & Ice” in 2003 and his recent willingness to enthusiastically take over the responsibility of securing the weekend’s Serbian food made him a deserving recipient! We congratulate him on his achievement and place in Serb Fest history!  
     
2013 :: Jeff Berger    
Krangis's contributions to preserving the Legend of Turkey Run through the release of several documentaries and video trailers made him a very deserving recipient of this honor! He has built quite a legacy over the past decade and we're sure this award will be displayed proudly in the Berger home for the next 2 years!  
     
2015 :: Rishi Loona    
Rishi has proven year after year that he is in fact a very deserving recipient of this coveted award. Whether it's his relentless manning of the grill, a modern day Cika Bora, or his unwavering commitment to travel halfway across the country to attend TR each year, Rishi has no doubt made great impact on the Legend of Turkey Run!  
     
2017 :: OLAF    
As a Founding Member, OLAF has put his stamp on Serb Fest - almost quite literally, as his silouhette from an off moment during the annual hike in 2003 immediately became an icon of TR. When he's not pounding High Life's, he's instrumental in orchistrating the weekend's event's each year. He's also been active in recruiting new attendees, vital to the future vibrancy and longevity of Serb Fest.  
     
2019 :: Dave R    
Since 2005, Dave's spirit has embodied everything that you'd want to see in a Serb Fest attendee. And it doesn't start and stop with the weekend. He's one of those guys who will have TR top of mind all year long... and we love that! A perveyor of fine mystery sausages, a destroyer of watermelons and a man of great, great intellect, Dave never disappoints!  
     
2021 :: Crazy Dan    
Crazy Dan's moment with the coveted Golden Cevapcici Award is clearly long overdue, but 16 years after it's initial presentation, Dan has only grown his Legend status. Let's face it, he's the heart and soul of Serb Fest and he's front and center in many of our favorite, most hilarious and most bizarre moments in TR history. He's synonymous with TR and is undoubtedly a deserving recipient!  
 
2005 :: Jovan Zelenkovich    
 
Grilled and chilled, the cevaps are carefully bound together by thread.  
   
 
Scott proudly displays the meat that will soon be submerged into a gel-like substance in a makeshift box covered with tin foil. Overnight, the substance congeals and the meat must carefully be removed from it's newly formed shell. This proves to be an ultra-tedious process that can make or break the realism of the final product. Once we have hollowed out the shell, it is filled with plaster. Overnight, the plaster hardens and the rubber-like shell is pealed away revealing the plaster pile of meat. It is then attached with epoxy to a wooden base and painted gold.  
   
   
Its container is covered with candid cevapcici related photos and the inside lip of the box bears the 4 Tenets of Turkey Run.  
     
     
   
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

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Turkey Run has long been driven by TRADITION. For Serb Fest’s First Generation, coming to Turkey Run meant fantastic canoeing and hiking and an opportunity for old friends and family to gather around a grill for good food, good conversation, and of course, good holy water. While Serb Fest's First Generation laid the foundation for what TR has become today, the Second Generation has introduced new traditions giving their incarnation of Serb Fest its own identity.

So what are the first things we think of today, when Turkey Run is mentioned in conversation?