McDonald’s, PSS join forces in fundraising drive

McDonald’s Saipan, the island’s leading fastfood restaurant, has inked a partnership with the CNMI Public School System as the company celebrates its 19th year in the Commonwealth.

Marcia Ayuyu, McDonald’s general manager, announced Thursday that a total of $8,000 in prizes await the top winner in this year’s fundraising drive that aims to help the cash-strapped PSS.

The company’s biggest fundraiser of the year will begin on Feb. 25 and will last through March 17.

Each elementary school on Saipan will earn points for the fundraising campaign through purchases made by their students, the students’ parents, and their friends. For every dollar spent using a school’s coupon, one point will be credited to that school. The school with the highest number of coupons will be named the overall winner of the event. Counting will be conducted every Saturday throughout the campaign and points updates will be posted in the store.

McDonald’s is known for its great service to the community. In 2009, the same type of fundraiser was held for the private schools. Last year, it extended its helping hand to the NMI American Red Cross.

Ayuyu, along with human resource and marketing manager Ana Olaes and the company’s accountant Marissa Obtinalla, met principals of the participating elementary public schools Thursday who all expressed excitement about the event.

The company will select three winners in the fundraising/competition: first place winner will receive $3,000 cash plus a $5,000 education tax credit donation from McDonald’s. The second placer, meanwhile, will get $2,000 and third placer will receive $1,000. Gift certificates will also be provided as consolation prizes.

According to Ayuyu, this is the first time that the company partnered with PSS in its fundraising campaign. Because of the present financial challenges of the school system, it was decided by the company to reach out to the community to bring help to the schools.

In Thursday’s meeting, Education Commissioner Dr. Rita A. Sablan expressed her excitement about the campaign.

“This is a big project and I am sure our schools are excited to go out and make this a big fundraiser for their schools for the things they need. Given the limited cash that we have in the local budget, I think this is an opportunity for every school to raise funds to buy some of the things they are not able to get with the federal funds,” she told Saipan Tribune, adding that these needs range from student supplies, to students and teachers incentives, to cleaning supplies and other needs.

The commissioner said that PSS has approximately 5,000 students in the elementary level. “If all our 5,000 kids go out and bring their families with them, I am sure they can really help our schools through this fundraiser,” she added.

For newly installed Oleai Elementary School principal Jack Sablan the campaign will be a great help in addressing the other needs of the students. If lucky in winning the competition, he vowed to utilize the funds to get additional reading materials and some sports equipment for the children.

Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School principal Charlotte Camacho, for her part, wants to use the funds in procuring books and other materials for the school library.