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Public urged to give aid to victims of Maysak
»40-foot container donated to bring relief goods to Chuuk
Commonwealth businesses have stepped up to the plate in providing relief to victims of Typhoon Maysak that hit Chuuk and Yap states in the Federated States of Micronesia early Wednesday last week, according to Joeten Kiyu Public Library technical service librarian Rosalyn Ajoste.
Ajoste said that Saipan Shipping, Saipan Stevedore, Construction and Material Supply, Matson Navigation, and the Commonwealth Ports Authority have graciously donated a 40-foot container and agreed to waive all shipping fees in order to send relief supplies to the typhoon-battered islands.
Ajoste said the container is called “Container of Love” and will be carried by the Kyowa Orchid vessel. The vessel’s expected travel date is April 18.
“JKPL had been planning to send a container of law books, textbooks, and novels down to Chuuk prior to the typhoon but now it has expanded into a relief effort to include all types of donations to help the people rebuild their lives,” she said.
“I have been working closely with Chuuk Sen. Lester Danny Mersai and his wife Kathy. …We are in partnership with the House of Representatives of the Freely Associated States of Micronesia and we’re all raising much needed educational resources and typhoon supplies for the outer islands of Chuuk,” she added.
These include textbooks, children’s books, and novels that will go directly to the public schools of Fefan, Siis, and Paren.
Ajoste said that relief supplies such as canned goods, bottled water, instant noodles, snack foods, sheets/bedding, tools, flashlights, batteries, clothing, soap/shampoo, and etc. are welcome.
“Our goal is to fill up the entire 40-foot container. Any excess donations will be shared with the ongoing relief efforts for our friends in Yap. All donations can be brought to JKPL,” she said.
JKPL will accept donations from April 7 to 17. The library is open from Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 6pm and on Saturday from 9am to 4pm.
For more information, contact Kathy at 789-9264 or Ajoste at 235-7329 or 287-9700 or email her at thesaipanlibrarian@gmail.com, email Kathy at kpmersai@gmail.com, or email Chuuk Sen. Danny Mersai at danny.mersai@gmail.com.
Super Typhoon Maysak packed winds of 160 kilometers per hour (100 mph) when it passed north of the Yap State atolls of Ulithi and Fais early Wednesday. There have been no reports of casualties in Yap but four deaths, a child and three adults, were reported in Chuuk.
In related news, JKPL acting executive director Erlinda C. Naputi said that the 2015 draft CNMI Joint Military Training Plan Environmental Impact Statement is now available for reading at the Saipan public library, to include the Tinian and Rota’s public libraries.
