Red Cross raises $110,000 By Marian A. Maraya

The American Red Cross NMI Chapter marked another successful fundraising effort Saturday evening collecting over $110,000 from its 12th Annual Club 200 event held at the Hyatt Regency Saipan.

Red Cross local chapter executive director Cassandra Ely said the group exceeded its projected Club 200 ticket sales disposing a total of 1,031 tickets, each worth a treat for two of a night of limitless food feast, fun, and raffle draws.

Guests to the “Winter Fantasy” fund-raiser occupied every inch of the Hyatt poolside anxious to see who would run away with this year’s major raffle prizes.

Tinian resident Jose P. San Nicolas went home with the most coveted $25,000 grand prize while Rebecca M. San Nicolas took with her the 2000 Toyota Camry LE and a one-year insurance courtesy of Moylan’s.

Doko Saipan Inc. won the 200 Nissan Frontier King Cab with insurance (2nd prize) while Patricia Boyer and Sherry Tenorio bagged $10,000 and $5,000 cash prizes, respectively.

Joseph Guerrero was also the lucky ticket holder of the Hyatt presidential suite on-island getaway raffle prize.

Thirty other raffle prizes ranging from gift certificates to luxury off-island trips were given away to fortunate Red Cross Club 200 supporters.

Top prize winners each performed their own pool-diving stunts to manifest delight over their victory.

In between raffle draws, the Red Cross fundraising event of the year also featured night entertainment with Hyatt’s in-house band The Blocks coupled with a special cultural number from the Hyatt Dancers.

Saturday’s event was slated to raise half of the local chapter’s budget for its direct and support services.

Living up to the American Red Cross mission “We’ll be there,” the local chapter has vowed to keep on providing its armed forces, disaster, health and safety, international, and community and youth services to the Commonwealth.

Throughout the years, the Red Cross has been instrumental in keeping families together in the event of an emergency, critical accident, illness or death in a service members’ family.

The humanitarian organization is equipped to verify the situation and relay an emergency leave request, if necessary, to the proper military authorities. It can also help with various health and welfare inquiries regarding military personnel and can provide verification or financial assistance requests.

Furthermore, the local chapter also conducts training sessions, distributes brochures and information releases where individuals can acquire knowledge on disaster preparedness on a year round basis.

The Red Cross, through CPR and First Aid courses, also trains individuals overcome any reluctance to act in emergency situations and to recognize and care for life-threatening respiratory or cardiac emergencies and/or sudden illness or injury.

In addition, the group also provides tracing/location services for people separated by war, civil disturbance, or natural disaster, and other community services.