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500 Sails welcomes the arrival of its Sailmobile
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Posted on Dec 16 2021
Senior boatbuilder and master navigator Mario Benito drives away in the Sailmobile, 500 Sails’ new 14-passenger van acquired from Joeten Motors. (MARJORIE DARIA)
500 Sails welcomes the arrival of its 14-passenger van, a 2018 Ford Transit 350 LR Wagon, affectionately known as the Sailmobile.
Despite having a 12-15 mpg range, the Sailmobile is able to safely transport its participants to and from its program sites.
Sporting the cherry red color with the 500 Sails logo on its side, the Sailmobile was a work in progress with Joeten Motors over the last few months that has finally come to fruition.
Since October 2016, 500 Sails was using its Toyota Tacoma cherry red pickup truck to transport materials in its cargo hold. However, in recognizing the disparities in student participation based on limitations to transportation, co-founders Peter and Emma Perez stepped in.
“We didn’t mean to be transporting students; it just happened organically with the [Public School System’s Cooperative Education program] kids and once we started doing that, we knew that we had to have a safer way of taking them home. With this van, we can pick up students from their home or school sites to take them to our Sunday Sails, Sirena classes, Gamsun Projects, Songsong Måmi classes, and our Peskan Taddong programs. While our programs are free, sometimes the families don’t have the time or they don’t have the fuel or vehicle to take their kids over to our programs. We’re hoping that by having this transportation system in place, we can increase overall student participation,” said Emma and Pete Perez.
500 Sails is a 501(c)3 and CNMI tax-exempt nonprofit organization dedicated to reviving, promoting, and preserving the maritime cultural traditions of the Mariana Islands through community engagement in canoe cultural values and activities. 500 Sails’ vision is a healthy thriving native community that has successfully integrated traditional cultural values into modern life.
Further information can be found on the 500 Sails website at https://500sails.org and updates on our community programs can be found on our 500 Sails Facebook and Instagram pages. Executive Director Peter Perez can be reached via email through pperez@500sails.org or at the boatyard in Lower Base at (670) 323-7245 (SAIL). (PR)
