Project Aligi plans decorated power poles

Project Aligi’s Meena Benavente, second right, educates the Rotary Club of Saipan about the project’s plans and goals during the club’s regular Tuesday meeting yesterday at the Hyatt Regency Saipan. (Marc A. Venus)

A group of island artists is working with the Lady Diann Torres Foundation to decorate power poles throughout the CNMI in a project that is intended to inspire hope in the CNMI and to promote literacy and CNMI artists.

The artist group, led by chair Meena Benavente, presented its newest project, “Project Aligi,” to the Rotary Club of Saipan during the club’s regular Tuesday meeting yesterday at the Hyatt Regency Saipan to invite more support from the community.

According to Benavente, the artist group wants to reinforce the topic of “Marianas Strong” and resiliency among community members, promote language in literacy through the LDTF, promote local artists, and beautify the CNMI.

The group has already received donations from Tasi Tours.

Tasi Tours president Masato Tezuka said that the company has already given the group $1,700.

Project Aligi will not only focus on Saipan; it intends to include Tinian and Rota.

According to Benavente, certain sections of the island will have certain themes. For example, on Saipan, Beach Road (Garapan to San Antonio Beach Park) will focus on the ocean and the color blue, while Middle Road (Chalan Laulau to San Roque) will focus on history/culture with the color yellow, Airport Road (Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport to Atkins Kroll Saipan) will present flowers/fauna with the color orange/peach, and Back Road (San Vicente to Capital Hill) will focus on nature, with the green color.

According to first lady Diann Torres, interested companies and organizations may reserve certain poles through the group’s “Adopt a Pole” initiative under one condition: the company must follow the theme for the certain area. The group is also striving to get support from the youth; the project has reached out to schools around the island and hopes to gain support through the “Adopt a Pole” initiative.

Rotary Club president Marcia Ayuyu said the club is interested in participating in the project.

The group wants to officially unveil the decorated power poles on Oct. 25, one day after the anniversary of Super Typhoon Yutu. However, Benavente said the group intends to make this a long-term project, hoping to keep the topic of “Marianas Strong” ongoing among the people of the CNMI. The group is also looking for local artists who want to help.

The group is partnered with the Lady Diann Torres Foundation, local artists headed by Benavente, the Marianas Visitors Authority, Department of Corrections, Tasi Tours, Rota Mayor’s Office, Tinian Mayor’s Office, Municipality of Tinian, Pratt & Lambert Paints, and many more.

Interested artists who want to participate can pick up applications at the MVA office on Beach Road near Atkins Kroll Saipan. Deadline for applications is on Sep. 16, 2019.

For more information, contact MVA’s Naomi Santos through email at msamtos@mymarianas.com or call (670) 664-3200, or the Lady Diann Torres Foundation at (670) 235-5383.