Previous Story
Lions Club donates toys to CDAC
Lions Club members of the Filipino-American, Saipan Alliance, and Saipan Marianas pose for a photo along with staff of the Children’s Developmental Assistance Center during the toy turnover at the center in Garapan on Dec. 22. (Michael T. Santos)
Lions Club organizations in the CNMI donated toys to the Children’s Developmental Assistance Center last Dec. 22. The donation is done every Christmas time and has been going on for over 17 years.
Robin Palacios, interim coordinator for the Early Intervention Program for CDAC, said, “We are grateful for all Lions Club donations. We’ve developed a partnership and an ongoing exciting relationship with them. Although we meet once or twice a year, it’s a joyous occasion knowing all the happiness it will bring to families here.”
Early Intervention provides services to infants and toddlers with disabilities as well as their families at no cost.
“This is just our way of giving back in any way we can,” said regional chair for Lions Club Ladyvir Canape.
The donation also involved the Saipan Marianas, Saipan Filipino-American, and Saipan Alliance Lions clubs.
“We made this project a regional matter so that more people would participate. The more help, the better,” Canape said.
The club fundraised for all toys given to the center, accumulating about $500 in total for the 60 recipients this year. The children range from birth to 3 years old.
“We made sure each child will receive an appropriate gift based on their age and sexuality,” Palacios said.
Due to confidentiality purposes, the Lions Club was not able to see the children or their families.
“It feels good to be a help to others. I’m always looking forward to seasons of giving so we could do events such as this. We may not see the kids, but it still gives us a really nice feeling that in our own simple way, we helped make a positive change in the community,” Canape said.
Another club is under the process of being chartered by March next year and will focus more on the involvement of residents. For more information, call Canape at 989-2545 or Annamae Adaza at 483-5237.
Canape said, “For people who want to join the Lions Club, you must have a heart for serving, because that is what we’re all about.”
