Atkins Kroll donates $10K to ARC ‘Gala’

American Red Cross-NMI Chapter executive director John Hirsh, third from left, and Atkins Kroll Saipan general manager Joel Lesh, fifth from left, are joined by Red Cross and AK Saipan representatives at the AK Toyota showroom in their San Jose location after AK Saipan handover over a $10,000 check for the NMI Chapter’s “Red Cross Gala set for April 24. (LEIGH GASES)

Atkins Kroll Saipan handed over a $10,000 check yesterday to the American Red Cross-Northern Mariana Islands Chapter that will go toward the chapter’s first “Red Cross Gala” on April 23 at the Kensington Hotel Saipan.

This donation makes Atkins Kroll Saipan a “Lifetime Achievement” sponsor, the highest tier of sponsors for American Red Cross-NMI Chapter’s first gala, according to Red Cross board chair Natalie Mable Ayuyu Glenn.

Along with the check donation, part of AK’s sponsorship is buying three tables at the gala, but they will be donating back one table to the Red Cross to resell, said AK Saipan sales manager Kevin Barnes.

Red Cross-NMI Chapter executive director John Hirsh is “extremely grateful” to AK for supporting them over the years, “not only in financial donations, but also with the donation of two trucks,” which has been a “big help” to the Red Cross.

Barnes said that AK Saipan is “very excited” to be a part of it and help out. He said AK Saipan has been a “long-time supporter for American Red Cross for many years on Saipan and [in] Guam.”

Barnes thanked the Red Cross for what it does in the CNMI and said that “they do amazing work for the island, for the community, for the people as a whole.” The American Red Cross-NMI Chapter has “done so much work in times of disaster throughout the years.” Barnes also mentioned that AK Saipan will “absolutely want to be supporting the Red Cross as much as we can for as long as we can.”

Others who were present for the handoff included Red Cross board member Brent Deleon Guerrero, Red Cross coordinator Selmalyn Taitano, AK Saipan general manager Joel Lesh, and AK Saipan sales consultants Didi Woodruff, Kevin Ada, Nicole Sablan, Liza Taylor, and Kim Calage.

The American Red Cross website describes the Red Cross Gala as “a night to raise critically needed financial resources for the NMI Red Cross Chapter. It’s an evening to celebrate and recognize our frontline stars and heroes for working tirelessly to serve our community throughout the pandemic.”

A link to the fundraiser’s information can be found at www.redcross.org/nmigala.

For those interested in sponsoring the event, the American Red Cross-NMI Chapter asks you to email Glenn at mable.glenn@redcross.org or call the NMI Chapter office at 670-234-3459.

LEIGH GASES
leigh_gases@saipantribune.com
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