FEMA staff volunteer for Grotto projects

The five groups that adopted the Grotto got back to business early into the new year and received support for the repainting job and other significant improvement done at the site.

Volunteers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency joined Bibong Corp./Marianas Lighthouse, Loco & Taco Dining Bar/Saipan Adventure, Divewish, Tasi & the Ali’is, and International Roller Skates employees in their continued efforts to spruce up the Grotto.

“We had a great time helping out. Saipan is a beautiful island, full of many sights and activities so to enhance one of its more popular locations was a pleasure,” said Wendell Crittenden, who was joined by his FEMA co-workers Kimberly Hodge, Tracey McCauley, Winsome Reid, Patrick Smith, Alan Lee, and Deborah Solis at the Grotto cleanup last Jan. 16.

Crittenden was also amazed at how the CNMI community has thrown its support behind the Public Private Partnership campaign—a destination transformation initiative launched by the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers.

“I think the volunteer efforts are a positive way to give back and I’ve seen several since my time on island, which is why we reached out to find information about volunteering. We enjoyed the opportunity to assist in any way possible while here sharing the lovely island and the community,” Crittenden said.

Besides continuing with the repainting job at Grotto Pavilion 2, the seven FEMA staff and representatives from Bibong Corp./Marianas Lighthouse, Loco & Taco Dining Bar, Divewish, Tasi & the Ali’is, and International Roller Skates have also started working on Pavilion 1 and finished marking the parking lines for buses and the upper parking area.

“We would like to thank the FEMA staff for their assistance. It was definitely great having extra hands helping us out with our projects. Having people from different groups in the community coming together to beautify our island one step at a time is such a welcome sight, especially in these challenging times,” said Loco & Taco Dining Bar/ Saipan Adventure manager James Ko.

“We’re pleased to make progress with our projects early into the new year. There’s more work to be done so we will stay committed to this initiative to make our sites better for the benefit of both the residents and visitors of these beautiful islands,” Loco & Taco Dining Bar/Saipan Adventure owner Mickey Kim added.

For their next projects, Kim said they are looking at cleaning the curbs, putting up safety signs, fixing the bathroom doors, and filling up potholes in the parking lot and surrounding areas.