Previous Story
Turnkey’s Santa parade gives joy to community
|
Posted on Jan 05 2006
Residents of Turnkey in Koblerville greeted the New Year by delighting children, who received bags of candies, and some persons with disabilities, who received special gifts, during the community’s annual “Santa’s Parade and Fireworks Display.”
Turnkey-Koblerville Community Association leader Jack Muna said “Santa Claus” gave away some 300 bags of candies to kids, who watched the parade comprising 25 vehicles, young bikers, and a group of children drummers. Muna said Santa Claus gave eight Koblerville residents with disabilities special gifts.
A group of children wearing Santa outfits assisted Santa Claus in distributing the candies and gifts.
“The kids were really happy. The sponsors brought a lot of cheers to the kids and the people,” Muna said.
The parade began at 8pm on New Year’s Eve and lasted for nearly two hours. Muna said approximately 70 persons participated in the parade, including members of Kagman Elementary School’s CNMI Drum Corps, and the Kagmanian bikers, a group of children riding on their bicycles.
Muna said an open house dinner then followed at his residence in Ahu Drive.
While residents greeted the New Year with fireworks from their respective homes, the association began a 20-minute fireworks show at around 12:20am on New Year’s Day, to the delight of revelers.
Muna thanked the sponsors, who donated candies, gifts, and monetary and non-monetary assistance to the association in hosting the annual event. The sponsors include Sen. Luis Crisostimo, and Reps. Martin Ada, Joseph DeLeon Guerrero, and Benjamin Seman, Commonwealth Utilities Corp., Division of Fire, private businesses such as the Saipan Tribune, and individuals.
Muna and his wife Cathy started the Santa’s Parade and Fireworks Display on Dec. 31, 1999, which has now become an annual New Year’s Eve tradition in Turnkey.
