2 companies team up to donate to the man’amko

A total of 400 packages donated to the Aging Center in Garapan surround Gus Noble of Saipan Vegas Resort and Micronesian Brokers Inc general manager Dennis Yoshimoto, Office on Aging director Walter Manglona, Man’amko 2020 Queen Genia Draper, and Aging Center employees. (Bea Cabrera)

To spread Christmas cheer, Saipan Vegas Resort and Micronesian Brokers, Inc. teamed up to deliver a total of 400 care packages to the elderly at the Aging Center in Garapan last week. Each bag contained basic commodities like food, milk, and toiletries that seniors have difficulty in getting by themselves because their exposure is limited due to COVID-19 concerns.

Saipan Vegas Resort consultant Gus Noble and MBI general manager Dennis Yoshimoto have a clear understanding of the added stress and difficulty that the pandemic has brought to the man’amko.

“We are very glad to support the [Aging] Center and believe it’s important for local businesses to give back to our community, particularly in these extraordinary and difficult times,” Noble said.

“Micronesian Brokers is pleased to partner with Saipan Vegas to donate these 400 care packages to the [Aging] Center. This year has been especially difficult for everyone and MBI is pleased to do our part in bringing a little Christmas joy to our senior citizens and to let them know they are in our hearts and on our minds,” Yoshimoto said.

“Thank you to the community for always looking after our welfare. This care package will go a long way. We appreciate it and may God bless you more,” said Sonia Cabrera, who was one pf the beneficiaries. (Bea Cabrera)

Reigning Man’amko Queen Genia Draper was present at the turnover of the care packages, describing them as heaven-sent. “This mean a lot to us seniors. …I recall talking to someone the other day, we have limited income and food stamps are very minor compared to what most families are getting and you can’t use that income on things like shampoo and toothpaste like we have in these packages because to us they are like luxuries. To have those as part of the care package is a big deal,” she said. “…We don’t eat a lot of meat, we eat a lot of vegetables so the gifts we get, even as simple as spaghetti sauce, it’s a treat for us. A lot of times we get fresh fruit and vegetables. …We don’t go to the store to buy those because it’s an expense for us so when we get things like this, oh, this is awesome. We thank the Lord, Saipan Vegas, MBI. …We appreciate that the community go out of their way to think of the man’amko.”

According to Office on Aging director Walter Manglona, every donation that the seniors receive from the community is counted as a blessing. “Whenever we receive any kind of donations from people and from the community, we are always grateful and feel blessed. I assure you that our seniors truly appreciate this donation, especially during these challenging times. The care package with food and toiletries will definitely help and it’s great that people in the community are thinking about the man’amko,” he said. “The [Aging] Center team will deliver these packages to our seniors and practice health and safety protocols. My team follows every protocol. …The same [things are practiced] when they deliver. …We understand our seniors are a vulnerable population and we need to do everything we can to keep them safe.”