BSI-CSR transforms Aging Office into haunted house

Best Sunshine International, Ltd.’s Corporate Social Responsibility transformed the Office on Aging into creepy haunted house Wednesday evening.

Close to 300 community-goers gathered to experience the transformation, as part of the agency’s charity event that was staged to support future activities of the elderly.

This event is a joint partnership between BSI-CSR and the Office on Aging.

“CSR values its relationship with our elders through programs and activities that will support them. Our partnership with the man’amko is one that we are very proud of and the ‘Man’amko Haunted House’ is one unique way to ensure that our community gather in support of our elderly,” CSR executive director Geri Dela Cruz said. “Our elderly were excited about this event and we are happy that the community came out to support.”

For weeks, the CSR team invited partners throughout the community—the Lions Club, Napu Outrigger Canoe Club, Saipan Southern High School’s Red Cross Club, and the Matua Riders—for an “adopt-a-room” to decorate and re-create a ghoulish atmosphere at the center. Together with the CSR team, the partners recreated the activity rooms of the Man’amko Center into a witches’ lair, clown hall, asylum, cemetery, and dead nursery that paying “visitors” were able to witness during their tour.

A few of the man’amko from the center also participated as witches and zombies.

Linda C. Torres, Office on Aging community development specialist and special Halloween event coordinator, said, “This is our very first Halloween haunted house for the man’amko. We wanted to try something different and something fun for them. They were also part of the haunted house as zombies and witches so it was definitely something fun and exciting for them.”

“We are excited for their first haunted house. Imperial Pacific’s CSR team has been great and they provided most of the materials. Imperial Pacific International’s CSR team has been the main sponsor for the event so we are very grateful for them.”

As a part of their effort to reduce, reuse, and recycle, majority of the materials used by the IPI CSR team were recyclable materials. The CSR team was creative with the use of props and decorations.

Aside from the spooky tour, the haunted house also featured a bake sale ran by the man’amko and a $1 photo booth ran by the CSR team held in the center’s main hall.

The Office on Aging was able to raise over $900 in combined entrance fees, bake sale and photo booth. The haunted house event was the first fundraiser for this year for the Office on Aging. All proceeds from this event will go to the Saipan Senior Advisory Council and be used to fund future trips for the man’amko.

“When we came up with the idea, we weren’t planning to have the whole facility turn into a haunted house because we knew it was going to be very challenging. With all the things that are going on, being able to partner with Imperial Pacific’s CSR team made things a lot easier. It’s not just easier, but it makes the whole event a lot better. It has surpassed our expectations,” Office on Aging director Walter Manglona said. “When I walked in, I immediately was speechless. I am very appreciative of all the work that the CSR team has put in to make this a success so we can fund the man’amko’s off-island trips.” (PR)