‘CHCC Sunshine Squad’ donates $1,000 to HOPE Recovery Center

From left, emergency medicine physician and medical director of public health at the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. Dr. Lily Muldoon; internal medicine physician at CHCC Dr. Jenna Kong; special assistant for the Substance Abuse, Addiction, and Rehabilitation (SAAR) program Yvette R. Sablan; and SAAR group home supervisor Itimal Taisakan share a photo on Wednesday after a $1,000 check handoff at CHCC’s admin office. The “CHCC Sunshine Squad” is a committee of CHCC medical staff with the goals of making quarterly donations to community organizations and building camaraderie, connection, and collaboration among CHCC staff. (JOSHUA SANTOS)

Just in time for last wek’s observance of Thanksgiving, the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp.’s “Sunshine Squad” presented on Wednesday a $1,000 check to the Hinemlu O’hala Para Enteramenti, or HOPE, Recovery Center.

Present for the donation handoff on Wednesday at CHCC was Yvette R. Sablan, who is special assistant for the Substance Abuse, Addiction, and Rehabilitation program under the CNMI Office of the Governor; SAAR group home supervisor Itimal Taisakan; internal medicine physician Dr. Jenna Kong; and emergency medicine physician and medical director of public health Dr. Lily Muldoon.

In remarks after the handoff, on the behalf of Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, the SAAR program, and HOPE participants, Sablan expressed her gratitude to CHCC for making such a “thoughtful and generous donation.” With Thursday being Thanksgiving, she said there could not have been better timing to have received the donation.

“We are extremely thankful, and [we] sincerely appreciate this very thoughtful and generous donation. Considering that [this Thursday] is a day of giving thanks, this couldn’t come at a better time. …We can’t wait to put this to good use and we’re excited to actually share it with the participants,” said Sablan.

Sablan added that HOPE participants were unable to join her and Taisakan on Wednesday for COVID-19 safety reasons, but assured they too would have been “very pleased to receive this generous donation.”

Muldoon shared that she and Kong serve on the CHCC committee that “helps decide what goes on with medical staff funds” and said that when the opportunity to give back to the HOPE Recovery Center came up, she and the committee took it.

“As an emergency room doctor, I see there every day people who are suffering from substance use disorders. …[I] have referred patients to the Recovery Center and have taken care of patients who have come from the center, [and] it’s really remarkable, the services that you’re able to provide,” said Muldoon.

When asked what the “Sunshine Squad” was, Kong and Muldoon explained that it was the name of a committee of CHCC medical staff with the goals of making quarterly donations to community organizations and building camaraderie, connection, and collaboration among CHCC staff.