AMP celebrates 30-year anniversary today

The American Memorial Park on Saipan marked its 30th anniversary on Aug. 18 but the birthday remembrance and celebration is being held today, Aug. 23, with several activities lined up at the Visitors Center and Amphitheater.

The celebration starts at 10am with a wreath laying ceremony at the Court of Honor and Flag Circle sponsored by the National Park Service, Military and Veterans Affairs Office, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Frank Cepeda.

The Costal Resource Management Office is also sponsoring a film showing of the Oscar winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth by former Vice President Al Gore.

The film showing, which starts at 12pm at the Visitors Center, is about global warming and its impact on the environment.

A demonstration of the Japanese art of origami or the art of arranging papers into various shapes and an exhibit on the Cultural Colors Beads of the Marianas are scheduled from 2pm to 5pm at the Visitors Center, sponsored by the U.S. National Parks Service.

Sarah Creachbaum, superintendent of the National Parks Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior, will lead the welcoming ceremony and presentation of cake at the amphitheater at 2pm.

Other activities include the presentation of the Brown Tree Snake Program by the Division of Fish and Wildlife; Brown Tree Snake Game with prizes, Junior Ranger Booklet and Scavenger Hunt with prizes, Information Table and Partners and Rangers Career Table, organized by the National Park Service.

Creachbaum said war veterans and their families and children would be joining the fun.

Some 12 members of the board of directors of the Arizona Memorial Museum Association will also be present to witness the occasion.

Creachbaum said these activities are a way of continuing to honor the sacrifices made by war veterans during the Marianas campaign.

“We want to thank the people of the CNMI with the continued cooperation in maintaining the parks,” said Creachbaum, adding that many people have noticed the additional people maintaining the park.

She said their biggest achievement in 30 years is the construction of the new buildings, which serve as meeting places and other amenities.

“It shows that we are coming of age,” she added.

Some of the challenges they are facing include offering of programs, protection of resources and keeping the park clean at all times.