ARC, govt raise $65K for tsunami

The American Red Cross-NMI and the CNMI government managed to raise some $65,000 for the tsunami victims in South Asia.

ARC-NMI executive director John Hirsh said yesterday that most of the money came from individuals, employees, and even students.

For instance, he said that Hopwood Junior High School recently donated a total of $2,766, while employees of Hyatt Regency Saipan gave $1,936.

Other donations include $2,500 from the Mayor’s Office, $1,900 from the Public School System, $1,200 from the Grace Christian Academy, and $22,000 from Tan Holdings Corp.

“The one thing nice about this is that most of the donations were all by individuals,” said Hirsh.

Even the donation from the Office of the Governor amounting to $1,700 came from individual donors, he said.

Hirsh said donation from the government totaled some $36,000.

He said ARC-NMI has already sent 90 percent of the donations from the CNMI to the tsunami relief fund.

The local ARC chapter and the CNMI government launched in January a fundraising campaign, urging residents to donate at least $1 each to help the victims of the tsunami in Asia.

Gov. Juan N. Babauta signed a proclamation yesterday declaring March 2005 as Red Cross Month in recognition of the invaluable services of ARC in the CNMI.

For more than 26 years, he said ARC in the NMI has been the place where citizens join together, and the generosity and compassion of the island community finds purpose.

Never has this been more evident than in the past year, when typhoons Tingting and Chaba pounded the islands, and a deadly tsunami struck countries in Asia and Africa.

The NMI, he said, turns to the local Red Cross for many things “that make this community stronger and safer.”

Last year, ARC said more than 1,000 people earned lifesaving skills such as first aid and CPR.

ARC also donated $90,000 worth of lifesaving medical equipment to the Commonwealth Health Center.

Last year, ARC also briefed over 100 military reservists and their families on how to access Red Cross services.

“In the CNMI, we may not at all look the same, dress the same, or sound the same, but we share a common spirit that binds us together when times are tough and unites us in action when someone is suffering. Like a mirror on America, the Red Cross shows us the best possible reflection of ourselves. In celebrating ARC month, we are celebrating the humanitarian and volunteer spirit here in the Commonwealth and all across America,” said Babauta.

ARC said that it has lined up various activities through the month, including free training for CPR and first aid as well as a CNMI-wide walkathon on March 19.

On Saipan, the walkathon begins at 6am at Kilili Beach.

During yesterday’s proclamation, Babauta encouraged residents to donate blood, volunteer their time, and continue to give to ARC.

He said he himself would take a four-hour CPR training.