McDonald’s continues to put smiles on kids faces

McDonald’s owner and president Joe Ayuyu made known his intentions to assist various youth sports programs when he presented a $3,000 check to Saipan Little League Baseball president Joe Salas at the fastfood restaurant’s Middle Road establishment yesterday.

The $3,000 donation to Little League will be used to purchase medals that will be presented to all participants of the program at the end of the season.

“I want [Saipan Little League Baseball] to be very successful, [because] it’s really nice,” Ayuyu said during an interview. “The biggest challenge that the Little League has always had in the past has been getting enough money to support what the [program] needs to do to support the Little League games. I was telling [Salas] that I want to come in as a major sponsor so [he doesn’t] really need to go out and every year have to find a sponsor because its really hard, especially now with the economy the way it is.

Ayuyu confirmed that as long as his company can sustain the financial means of assisting the program, it would continue to do so.

“So I told [Salas] that I’ll take care of that,” he said. “That’s my commitment to them. They can concentrate on the kids rather than trying to go and fundraise because it’s really hard when you have to fundraise and at the same time take care of the kids. Its tough.”

Meanwhile, Salas expressed appreciation to Ayuyu on behalf of everyone involved in the program, especially the youth.

“It really means a lot [because] it defrays a lot of our costs,” he said. “Being a corporate sponsor makes it a lot easier because [running the program] really does take money. Individual medals are a lifetime thing you cherish and it’s something to give to the kids. [The money] goes a long way with the program.”

He stressed that the program’s board is just a trustee or caretaker of all the funds, which “belongs to the kids.”

Ayuyu, who also sponsors a team in the ongoing Mobil Oil Mariana Islands Co-ed Basketball League and the McDonald’s All Schools Track and Field Championships, said he enjoys assisting programs like the Saipan Little League knowing that only positive results will stem from such activities.

“It teaches discipline, teamwork and doing something that would help them as they grow, so it’s very exciting and besides that, its physical exercise for them…its good to teach the young kids to be physically fit,” he said.

Ayuyu also expressed appreciation to all the volunteers in the program, citing the important roles they play in shaping the lives of the kids.

“A big thank you to the volunteers because without them it’s very hard to accomplish what the kids are doing,” he said. “They don’t get paid so the recognition needs to go to them.”

He also credited Salas for getting him involved in the program.

“Actually my involvement with the Little League is really credited to [Salas] because he was the one that really came to me and made a presentation and convinced me that this is a worthwhile project,” he said

“When I looked at the number of kids involved…[it has] really grown. So the success of the number of teams they have now speaks for itself. The kids really want this kind of activity taking place so I’m very excited and this is good.”

Ayuyu disclosed that as a young boy he had always wanted to take part in the Little League, however, he never got a chance to do so. He said he is now letting that dream live through the players of the Saipan Little League.