Kudos to DPA Car Mart!

I want to share with people how thankful and proud I am as a man, a father, and community member of this island, especially for my love of the Sugar Dock Bantalan.

I’ve made it my life commitment to take care of our Bantalan for many years and I, along with my children, my family, and many others who take care of the area, have made it a special place where we go to everyday, for special occasions but also take care of it so our visitors and people can appreciate it.

I never had any expectations to be recognized for what I do for the Bantalan and feel very emotional for God’s blessings when, one day, when I visited the DPA Car Mart in San Antonio to see if I can buy a used car for my personal use, the owner, Mr. Pengcheng (PC) Wu, recognized me and asked if I’m the guy he always sees cleaning up the Bantalan. Mr. PC told me that he goes to the Chalan Kanoa beach with his family and takes his son there a lot and always sees me with my broken-down pickup truck pulling loads of trash on the trailer and thought I was being paid to do that. He was surprised to find out that I wasn’t. I walked out of DPA Car Mart with another pickup truck from Mr. PC that he donated so I can continue taking care of the Bantalan and continue my good work and love for a very special place for many of our people and visitors.

I am so overwhelmed with thankfulness and still can’t believe that someone would take notice of something that I do for love and as a community service.

A few years ago, Speaker Ralph Demapan, Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation chair Rep. John Paul Sablan, and members of the Legislature also recognized me for my community service for the Bantalan by presenting me with a House resolution and I took that recognition with great pride and didn’t expect that, one day, I will also be given such a big gift by a stranger to continue what I do.

Mr. PC said his donation to me is his way to thank me for my volunteer work for the Bantalan and our community and also for his thanks to all who have made DPA Car Mart continue its business this past seven years.

On Monday, we recognized Mr. PC and the DPA Car Mart company for their donation and I still can’t believe that something like this happened to me. I thank Mr. PC again for his generosity and goodness not just for me but also for our people and I wish him, his family, and business with many more years of success.

I also thank Speaker Ralph Demapan and SNILD chair Rep. John Paul Sablan for joining us at the DPA Car Mart office yesterday to recognize Mr. PC with an appreciation plaque and also for all they do for the Bantalan and the people of Precinct 2. I also thank the many volunteers of the Bantalan for all they do and for loving and taking care of the Bantalan as much as I do.

I want to encourage our people, especially our manhoben, to take pride in our islands and to find something to do to make our islands a better place for our people and our visitors. If you do it with goodness and love, rewards will come even if you think no one is watching. Look what happened to me! I am a very blessed man and I am very happy to share my story today. I hope one day you will share a similar story.