Saipan Roteract eyes expanded goals as the club nears 10 years of service

As they near 10 years of service, the Rotaract Club of Saipan looks forward to a year full of activities under the baton of freshly inducted leaders who were installed in a ceremony last July 29, 2023, at the Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan in Garapan.

The club of young leaders welcomed their Rotaract Year 2023-24 officers and directors, with Richard Enrico Baleares being inducted to serve his third consecutive year as the club’s president.

In his remarks, Baleares said he looks forward to the upkeep of their newly adopted bus stop in Kagman, possibly resuming their Financial Literacy Project with the Bank of Saipan, holding activities such as a 5K Fun Run, and potentially hosting a 10K Bike Race to add to their regular cleanups and collaborative community service events with their parent club, the Rotary Club of Saipan.

“While I was able to travel to Guam and Japan last Rotary Year, I hope that, with the work we are about to partake in, we are able to have multiple Rotaractors travel off-island, namely to South Korea to establish a sistership with the Rotaract Club of Soonchungyang University (the Rotaract Club sponsored by the Rotary Club of Saipan’s sister club in Onyang), and the annual District 2750 conference in Tokyo, Japan. At the same time, we’ll have to prepare ourselves for the possibility of Rotaractors coming down to visit our islands for the first time in over four years as we did a pretty good job in showcasing Saipan’s beauty to our Japanese, South Korean, and Guamanian brothers and sisters. When they do, I know we’ll have a great time together.” he said.

Along with Baleares, Rayna Sablan was installed as the club’s vice president and two-term returning Community Service director, and Jefferson Cunanan in his second consecutive year as secretary. Arriane Antonio became the club’s treasurer as well as Professional Development director; Michael Camacho was installed as the Club Service director; Melissa Borja is the International Service director for a second consecutive year; and Brent Espineda is the new Finance director.

Rotary Club of Saipan president Irene Holl and Rotary Club of Saipan past president/New Generations director Gregory Borja administered the swearing in of the new officers and, alongside 2021 Miss Northern Marianas Savannah Lyn Delos Santos, were the guest speakers of the evening.

The Rotaract ceremony was attended by members of the Rotary Club of Saipan, as well as Interact Club members from Marianas High School and Saipan International School.

The Rotary International Theme for this year is “Create Hope in the World.”

As the Rotaract Club nears its 10 years of “service above self,” Baleares said, “I hope all of us remember what brought us here in the first place, and I hope that this memory will encourage everyone to continue partaking in the fellowship of Rotaract, where we put service above self and in doing so, we become closer and stronger as a club.”

The Rotaract is a Rotary Club partner for youth members (18 and older).