‘No Tricks, Just Treats’ Halloween event a success

From left, NMI Museum of History and Culture executive director Danny Aquino, museum docent Archie Ajoste, Rotary Club of Saipan member Diego Sablan, and Rotary Club sergeant-at-arms Brian Clayton share a photo with a large outdoor inflatable while they were setting up for the Rotary Club’s Halloween event “No Tricks, Just Treats” at NMI Museum grounds. (CONTRIBTUED PHOTO)

The Rotary Club of Saipan’s Halloween event last Oct. 31, called “No Tricks, Just Treats,” at the NMI Museum of History & Culture grounds was so enthusiastically received that, although the event was scheduled to begin at 5pm, the community began pouring in as early as 3:30pm.

Joann T. Aquino, who is director of community service for the Rotary Club of Saipan, described the event as a great success for the club, the NMI Museum, and the event’s partners.

In the email message, Aquino said Wednesday last week that the Saipan Mayor’s Office was hosting its own Halloween event that same time across the street at the Sugar King Park, featuring a mini-haunted house hosted by the Marianas Visitors Authority, and many of the participants spilled over to the Rotary’s “No Tricks, Just Treats” event as soon as they were done checking out the Sugar King Park.

In total, Aquino said the Rotary Club passed out last Halloween over 2,000 goodie bags packed with “an assortment of candies and treats, cases of Poka drinks, cooler bags, soccer balls and fruits” during a jam-packed night that featured festivities inside and outside the NMI Museum.

Inside the museum was a movie night, while outside featured a pumpkin pie eating contest and a costume contest; live music, dance, and magic performances; an inflated bounce house; and many other outdoor inflatables on display that ranged from 5 to 12 feet in size.

From left, Rotary Club of Saipan past president Curtis Dancoe; club director of community service Joann T. Aquino; Rotary Club member Frankie Eliptico; and current club president Ivan Ilmov share a photo during the Rotary Club’s Halloween event “No Tricks, Just Treats” at NMI Museum Grounds. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Aquino said the pumpkin pie eating contest was sponsored by Rep. Joseph “Lee Pan” Guerrero, and featured seven entrants, with all seven getting prizes.

First place received a $100 Joeten gift card courtesy of Bridge Capital LLC and three months free gym membership at Latte Built Fitness courtesy of Rotary Club member Dr. Lily Muldoon. The other six received gift certificates to Gentle Brook Cafe, Monster Pizza Pub, Shirley’s Coffee Shop, and National Office Supply, said Aquino.

The costume contest was judged according to six different age groups from 0 to 3-years old all the way to 16 and older. Aquino said the winning participants received Halloween gift buckets loaded with various treats and gift certificates to McDonald’s, National Office Supply, Tyler’s Gelatte Stone, and RJ Pizza.

Aquino thanked several participating agencies, organizations, and families for passing out treats, including the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality; the Tan Siu Lin Foundation; the Substance Abuse, Addiction, and Rehabilitation Program; the CNMI Women’s Affairs Office; the Northern Marianas Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence; Paradise Dental Saipan; Miss Earth Northern Marianas; Dice Pacific Professional Solutions LLC, the Lady Diann Torres Foundation; Youth Empowerment Solutions; and Mr. and Mrs. Mario Aguon.

Aquino thanked NMI Museum executive director Danny Aquino and NMI Museum staff for “all their hard work and efforts in making this event a success.”