Guam Rotarians help NMTI project for Maturana Sisters

Northern Marianas Trades Institute chief executive officer Agnes McPhetres, second right, accepts the check with the amount pooled together by the three Rotary Clubs in Guam. Rotary Club of Saipan, headed by president Ivan Ilmov, left, assisted in the check presentation. The money will be used in the rebuilding and repair projects of several facilities at the Maturana House of Prayer in Navy Hill. (Contributed Photo)

Three Rotary clubs from Guam did their share in providing assistance for the rebuilding project planned by Northern Marianas Trades Institute students of the Maturana House of Prayer in Navy Hill. Maturana serves as the sisters’ home and retirement home for older nuns.

Information posted on the Rotary Club of Saipan’s Facebook page had the Rotary Club of Guam, Rotary Club of Tumon Bay, and Rotary Club of Northern Guam raise $16,500 that they donated to help in Maturana’s rebuilding efforts.

Rotary Club of Saipan assisted in presenting the check to NMTI chief executive officer and Saipan Rotarian Agnes McPhetres during their meeting last Tuesday at Hyatt Regency Saipan’s Giovanni’s restaurant.

Mercedarian Missionaries of Bérriz Sisters Stella Ifenuk and Martha Ramarui were also at the check presentation. MMB operates the House of Maturana that was damaged last year by Typhoon Soudelor.

Rotary Club of Guam president Michelle D. Bordallo, in a letter, said the money is the Guam Rotarians’ part in helping the efforts to rebuild the Mercedarian Sisters’ home in Navy Hill.

“We are pleased to support the efforts of NMTI in using its resources and the students to enhance their skills while giving back to the community,” said Bordallo, the 2015-2016 president of the Rotary Club of Guam.

“We hope that our contribution goes a long way to assist in the purchase of materials and supplies needed for this particular project. We value the work that NMTI provides to its community and we look forward to hearing about the progress of the rebuilding efforts,” she added.

NMTI’s carpentry and construction class of instructor Mike Vargas are going to help in rebuilding the facilities at Maturana that were damaged by Soudelor. They had already inspected the damages, listed down the materials needed and the estimated cost, and also made plans.

Maturana is open not only to Catholics but also for other Christian groups on Saipan that want to use the facility for prayer meetings, workshops, and retreat.

The Rotary Club of Saipan has also inducted its new set of officers led by president Ivan Ilmov along with Tom Thornburgh (president-elect), Brian Clayton (vice president), Elitza Stoilova (secretary), Norbert Sablan (treasurer), and Wayne Gillespie (sergeant-at-arms).

Laila Boyer (club services), Sonya Dancoe (community), Wendell Posadasnera (vocational), former president Curtis Dancoe (international), Sapuro Rayphand (new generation), and Pete Shilling (foundational) are the Saipan Rotary’s service directors.