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‘A decade of raising independence’
Independence in the CNMI is something that we all seek. Whether you are a person with or without a disability, it can be difficult. The idea of independence has been a founding principal for Americans ever since the first colonies were settled.
The Center for Living Independently has been a beacon for people with disabilities to go get training to become more independent and included in our community. CLI offers independent living skills training, self-advocacy skills, and peer counseling. CLI also provides information and referral, and now transition to round of the CLI’s five core services.
Ms. Lydia Igitol, who has been the CLI director since its inception in 2005, and the Independent Living Group, a self-advocacy group supported by the CLI, have maintained a functioning model home for our people with disabilities to come and belong for more than a decade now.
Last Friday, the CNMI Center for Living Independently celebrated its 10th year anniversary at the CLI house No. 1366 on Capital Hill from 10am to 2pm.
The event was very successful. Ms. Frances Sablan was our emcee, Ms. Emy Palican was our national anthem singer, Ms. Susan Satur, the secretary for the Board of CLI, welcomed everyone, and the governor came and hung out with us for lunch. He even joked about racing Cynthia Attao, a member of the ILG group, with their wheelchairs.
We had local music provided by James Selepeo and band donated by the CLI board president, Ms. Doris Motisou. The food was prepared by the ILG members and CLI staff who also displayed their vegetables from their garden, which they have been growing.
Finally, we, the ILG, CLI and collaborators would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who came, including our own Mayor of Saipan, David Apatang, Rep. Edwin Probst, Rep. Edmund Villagomez, and our Honorable Governor, Iloy Inos for helping us celebrate “A Decade of Raising Independence”—the theme of CLI’s 10th anniversary
Thomas M. Thornburgh
Chairman of the Committee for the 10th CLI Anniversary
