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Low turnout mars ‘Don’t Be A Turkey Walk’
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Posted on Dec 01 2008
Even the turnout at the 8th Annual “Don’t Be A Turkey Walk” was greatly affected by the islands’ economic woes.
Of the 500 certificates for registered participants that were distributed prior to last Saturday’s event, only about 70 showed up at the Garapan basketball court.
Diana Camacho of the organizing Ayuda Network Inc. attributed the low turnout to the economic crisis.
She said this year’s number of participants was way below the big turnout of 200 walkers in the previous year.
The event is the finale of the Diabetes Prevention and Protection month.
Those who showed up were given free medical check up such as blood sugar and blood pressure, free t-shirt and free food by volunteers from the Northern Marianas College Nursing Club and the Emmanuel College Vocational Nursing.
The participants ranged from 4 to 70 years old.
Four-year old Juhn Tenorio, who joined with her mom and brother, said he has been doing this for the past two years and likes it very much.
Some students from the Ladera International School as well as members of the Saipan Southern High School National Honor Society also made their presence felt.
Society member Coquina Teregoyo said it was her first time to join the walk and found it a good exercise.
Like most of the walkers, she managed to reach the 13 Fishermen’s monument and walked back to the Garapan basketball court.
The Ayuda Network, along with the Commonwealth Diabetes Coalition and Saipan Walking Association, helped organized the event, with the aim of promoting physical activity and raise funds for the diabetes coalition.
Each walker paid $10, which will be used to support the coalition’s mission to bring about diabetes awareness and education in the community.
