Oceania caging draws support from McDonald’s

McDonald’s Saipan has joined the bandwagon of private companies supporting Basketball Association of Northern Mariana Islands’ hosting of the 2009 FIBA Oceania Basketball Tournament next month.

McDonald’s Saipan owner Joe Ayuyu yesterday handed over a check worth $2,000 to BANMI officials with the former hoping the donation could somehow help defray the cost for holding the Oceania caging here.

“It has been my personal commitment to help any organization promoting sports among the youth, so despite these tough times, the staff and management of McDonald’s always try to find ways to give financial assistance to sports organizations, such as BANMI,” Ayuyu said.

“I wish I could give more, and so do other companies. I am encouraging members of the business community to help out in this endeavor. It is not only BANMI that is hosting this event, it’s the whole CNMI. Let us show our commitment to sports and be a gracious host to other basketball teams in the region,” Ayuyu added.

The Oceania caging, which will run from June 20 to 28 will feature the men’s and women’s teams of Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Palau, Guam, Fiji, and Tahiti.

Next month’s tournament will be the biggest regional caging event that the Commonwealth will be hosting. The last time the CNMI hosted a basketball tournament was in 2006 during the Micronesian Games.

Ayuyu expressed his excitement over seeing powerhouse teams from Australia and New Zealand play on the CNMI hard court.

“I am thrilled to have these top-caliber players going up against our CNMI National teams. I am sure we will be seeing a competitive tournament. I used to be a basketball fan back in college and I am looking forward to being a fan, again next month,” said Ayuyu, who was a frequent spectator of the University of Hawaii Warriors games.

Ayuyu handed the donation to BANMI president Elias Rangamar, secretary general Michael A. White, and Gabriel White in a brief ceremony at McDonald’s Middle Road branch.

“We are pleased that McDonald’s never ceased to extend its helping hands to sports organizations despite these trying times. We are very thankful to Mr. Ayuyu and McDonald’s commitment to help us in this hosting job,” Rangamar said.

“Local organizers cannot do this (hosting) alone, we need all the help we can get from both the public and private sectors,” Rangamar added.

Besides McDonald’s, two other companies had already thrown in their support to BANMI’s hosting of the Oceania caging. They are Joeten Charitable Foundation and Tan Holdings.