Nearly 300 take part in events promoting healthier lifestyle

Three big health events were merged for the first time Saturday in efforts to promote a healthy lifestyle in the Commonwealth.

The 5th Annual Great Marianas Smokeout, the 11th Annual Don’t Be A Turkey Walk, and Diabetes Awareness Month celebrations held at the Oleai Sports Complex attracted close to 300 participants who took part in various activities as early as 5:30am.

“All partners are here to maximize resources and we’re all together joining for one cause, which is to promote healthy living in the CNMI. It’s a great success,” event chair Velma Del Rosario of the Community Guidance Center said in an interview.

The event featured activities like the candle light vigil, the walk around the track field, food demonstrations, and free health screenings from Hardt Eye Clinic and Marianas Eye Institute. Uncle Ben’s Studio provided entertainment to the participants.

Community partners like CGC, the Northern Marianas College-Cooperative Research, Extension and Education Service, Ayuda Network, and the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs also set up information booths that educated participants about their respective programs.

Bill Limes, Community Outreach Program coordinator, said they participate in the Great Marianas Smokeout every year.

“I encourage the public, especially the youth, to stop smoking to prevent them from getting cancer,” he said.

Polly Omechelang of NMC-CREES, which is a member of the substance abuse and diabetes coalitions, said they regularly setup a booth at the event to promote their programs while supporting a good cause.

“As a coalition member, we want to educate the public about non-communicable diseases and encourage eating healthy,” she said.

Del Rosario said the first 200 participants were given free T-shirts while others were given giveaways such as pamphlets, stickers, children’s books, and toys.

At the event, Del Rosario disclosed that smokers were encouraged to hand over their cigarette packs and were informed about the negative effects of smoking tobacco and chewing. They were given gas coupons in return.

Del Rosario said the event targeted those who have smoked, are suffering from diabetes, or have high blood pressure to underscore that healthy living is “very, very important” for the prevention of non-communicable diseases.

She noted that there were many younger members of the community who participated in the event.

“Kids we’re actually walking around the track with their parents, which is a very, very beautiful sight. It’s important to start them into the healthy habit while they’re young because they’ll continue on and most likely end up not smoking or eating healthy,” Del Rosario told Saipan Tribune.

But their efforts to encourage a healthy lifestyle in the islands doesn’t end there, said Del Rosario.

“This is our work,” she said. “But it’s not just our job—it’s everybody’s job. We need to join efforts and promote healthy lifestyles,” she added.