Red Cross Walkathon on Saipan raises over $77K

American Red Cross-NMI Chapter board members Patty P. McDonald and Nola Hix with student volunteers. (Contributed Photo)

The 31st Annual Red Cross Walkathon held last April 1 on Saipan raised a total of $77,241.46 for the local chapter of the humanitarian organization, according to John Hirsh, American Red Cross-NMI Chapter executive director.

The amount, however, represents only tabulated pledges from the schools on Saipan and doesn’t yet include donations from schools on Tinian and Rota.

This year, the Oleai Elementary School raised $13,063 in pledges with 325 registered walkers. Oleai remains the school with the largest amount in donations and largest number of walkers. There were 66 students from the school that raised more than $75 in pledges. These students will be rewarded with two free waterpark tickets to the Pacific Islands Club Saipan.

“We are incredibly grateful to the leadership of Oleai Elementary and their lead walkathon coordinator Ms. Carreon,” said Tayna Belyeu Camacho, Red Cross event co-chair. “We are humbled by their year in and year out support of the Red Cross and our humanitarian mission. Oleai is teaching their students life long lessons about volunteerism and helping those who are less fortunate,” added Camacho.

Agape Christian School came in second in the amount of donations. The school raised a total of $5,175. Agape had a total of 128 walkers who participated in the Walkathon with 36 students raising $75 or more and were rewarded with two free waterpark tickets to PIC Saipan.

Mount Carmel School came in third for the largest amount in donations raising $5,027. Some 149 students from the school participated in the Walkathon and 18 received waterpark tickets for raising $75 or more.

William S. Reyes Elementary School came in fourth in the amount of donations. The school raised $4,377 in donations with 166 students participating in the Walkathon. A total of 14 students received waterpark tickets for raising $75 or more in pledges.

Brilliant Star School raised $409 with 16 students participating in the Walkathon.

The HeadStart program on Saipan raised $3,302 in donations. There were 138 students from the HeadStart program who registered to walk at the Walkathon. Five students from the HeadStart raised $75 and received the incentive of two water park tickets to PIC Saipan.

ChaCha Ocean View Junior High School raised $1,369 in donations. ChaCha had 78 participants who registered for the walk and two received two free waterpark passes to PIC for raising $75.

Dandan Middle School raised $1,338 with 33 students participating in the Walkathon. Five students received waterpark tickets to PIC Saipan for raising $75 or more.

Garapan Elementary School raised $3,381 with 157 participants in the Walkathon. One student received waterpark tickets to PIC Saipan for raising $75.

Golden Harvest School raised $850 in donations with 40 students participating in the walk.

Grace Christian Academy raised $2,628 in donations with 73 students participating in the walk. Seven students raised $75 or more, making them eligible to get two free waterpark tickets to PIC.

Green Meadow School raised $1,478 in donations with 95 students participating in the walk. One student received two waterpark tickets to PIC for raising $75 worth of donations.

Gregorio T. Camacho School raised $2,461 in donations with 77 students representing at the walk. Ten students received two water park tickets for raising $75 worth of donations.

Hopwood Junior High School raised $1,312 in donations with 60 students representing the school at the walkathon. Only one student received waterpark tickets to PIC.

K-5 Childhood Development raised 844 dollars worth of donations with 28 students joining the walk. Five raised $75 or more earning them water park tickets to PIC.

Kagman Elementary School raised $1,833 in donations with 62 students participating in the walkathon. Six students received water park tickets for raising $75 in donations or more.

Kagman High School raised $431 with 17 students representing the school at the Walkathon. One student received waterpark tickets for raising $75 in donations or more.

Koblerville Elementary School raised $2,819 in donations. About 123 students from the school participated in the Walkathon. Four students raised $75 earning two waterpark tickets to PIC.

Marianas Baptist Academy raised $1,182 in donations with 50 students participating in the Walkathon.

Marianas High School raised $1,503 in donations and 69 students took part in the Walkathon with two students receiving waterpark tickets to PIC for earning $75.

Saipan Community School raised $1,304 in donations with 49 students representing the school at the Walkathon. Five students received waterpark tickets to PIC for raising $75 in donations or more.

Saipan Southern High School raised $1,522 in donations with 83 students participating in the Walkathon.

San Antonio Middle School raised $1,043 in donations with 69 participants from the school at the Walkathon.

San Vicente Elementary School raised $2,666 in donations with 120 students participating at the walkathon. Four students raised $75 in donations earning them water park tickets to PIC.

Tanapag Middle School raised $171 in donations with six participants at the Walkathon. One student raised $75 in donations earning them water park tickets to PIC.

Whispering Palms School raised $230 in donations with three students participating in the Walkathon.

The Red Cross thanks all its corporate sponsors and donors who made this year’s event so memorable. The Walkathon had a total of 2,766 registered walkers on Saipan, Rota, and Tinian. With family members, health fair, and Red Cross volunteers there were over 3,200 participants.

Hirsh thanked all the participants and sponsors of the 2017 Red Cross Walkathon and declared ARC-NMI Chapter’s signature fundraising event a “great success.”

“The 31st Annual Red Cross Walkathon was another great success thanks to the tireless efforts of our public and private schools,” he said.