Island Snapshot – December 2018
- DONATION TO KARIDAT Hagatna Entertainment Group led by Phil Roberto and a host of entertainers in Guam—79 & Friends, Siracha, the Dolls, and Biggah & Bettah—has donated $3,000 to Karidat’s Super Typhoon Yutu long-term recovery mission. “These guys got together right after the typhoon and put together a fundraising concert for their friends and family up here on Saipan and Tinian,” said Lauri Ogumoro, executive director of Karidat. “When we explained to Phil how Karidat will be helping with the long-term recovery mission for the victims of Super Typhoon Yutu, he was all for it.” “Knowing that the recovery from Typhoon Soudelor took about three years, we foresee many years of helping our community to recover from the devastation of Yutu. The process will be long and hard for many individuals and families,” said Ogumoro. She said that Roberto did have one special request: for Karidat to share a portion of the donation with the Mercedarian Sisters at Maturana who have been sheltering five families whose homes were completely destroyed. (Contributed Photo)
- RESCUE MISSION Samaritan’s Purse, which has its own DC-8 cargo plane, loads the cages of Tasha Joy the tiger and Lambert the lion, the two big cats at the Saipan Zoo, to be brought to the wildlife sanctuary, The Wild Animal Sanctuary, near Keenesburg, Colorado. The pair of big cats left the island last Wednesday evening. (The Wild Animal Sanctuary)
- DOMINO’S DONATION Domino’s Pizza Guam has donated $5,000 to the Ayuda Foundation for use in the foundation’s ongoing relief drive for the victims of Super Typhoon Yutu in the CNMI. Its eventual goal is to raise $10,000 for the CNMI. From left, Domino’s senior graphics designer Chloe Weilbacher; Ayuda Foundation board members Sen. James V. Espaldon and Walden Weilbacher; Ayuda Foundation executive director Carlotta Leon Guerrero; Ayuda Foundation board member and former senator Frank Blas Jr.; Domino’s chief financial officer Julio Dalangin; Domino’s marketing director Dane Taitano; Domino’s operations manager Gold Mar R. Cura; and Domino’s Tamuning employees Emeliza Nacar and Billy Ballesteros. (Domino’s)
- LIBRARY ON JAPAN STUDIES The Consular Office of Japan on Saipan will open a “Library on Japan Studies” in the waiting room of the consulate on Dec. 10. The library has more than 60 books on Japan that are published in English, covering various fields such as history, culture, religion, economy, business, politics, foreign policy, etc. The public is welcome to visit the library and borrow any books. (Contributed Photo)
- FREE CONCERT Saipan Pacific Winds Concert Band music conductor Atsuko Eck, left standing, directs U.S. Army soldiers with the 721st Guam Army National Guard Band and members of the SPWCB during a performance at the American Memorial Park amphitheater on Saipan last Dec. 9, 2018. The concert was held as a way of saying “thank you” to the community for their support to the military during Super Typhoon Yutu relief efforts. (STAFF SGT. JAMES KENNEDY BENJAMIN)
- NEW LEADERSHIP BLOC Rep. Blas Jonathan T. Attao (R-Saipan), seated center, joins his Republican Party colleagues in finalizing the House leadership of the 21st Legislature in a meeting Wednesday at IHOP restaurant in Garapan. Attao is the incoming House speaker of the 21st Legislature, with Rep. Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero (R-Saipan), seated left, chosen as vice speaker while Rep. John Paul P. Sablan (R-Saipan) will be the floor leader. (Jon Perez)
- SKYMARK DONATION Marianas Visitors Authority board chair Marian Aldan-Pierce receives the 3 million Japanese yen or about $30,000 that Skymark Airlines Inc. donated to MVA for the CNMI’s recovery efforts during MVA’s general membership meeting at the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan’s Hibiscus Hall last Friday. To Aldan-Pierce’s right is Skymark executive officer Narutoshi Terada. Also in the photos are MVA board members, officials, and staff, and Rep. Edmund Villagomez. The donation will be given to KaridatSocial Services. (Fedie de la Torre)
- ACCESS DONATION Marianas Visitors Authority board chair Marian Aldan-Pierce, MVA board members, officials and staff, along with Rep. Edmund Villagomez, receive the 1 million yen or about $10,000 that MVA’s representative office in Japan, Access, donated to MVA for the CNMI’s recovery efforts from Super Typhoon Yutu’s massive destruction. The donation will be given to Karidat Social Services. (Ferdie de la Torre)