MMAC nets $77K, Team Bodig wins four awards

Over $77K in total money was raised during the 2009 Marianas March Against Cancer with Team Bodig reaping four of the nine special awards.

The event was held from 6pm last Friday until 6am Saturday at the Hopwood Junior High School and was the culmination of the 2009 MMAC Week.

Despite fewer participants and a visible decrease in the number of luminaries sold compared to the past years, the $77,249.35 in total funds raised surpassed last year’s $71,000.

Pacific Islands Club topped the Pution category with a total collection of $15,421.17, the biggest among all categories.

Team Bodig raised $11,045.42 to lead the Pulan category, while Transportation Security Administration came up with $3,562.75 in the Atdao category. Grace Christian Academy had $2,492.19 in the Napu category.

Bodig got three more awards including most luminaries sold with 1,194 for a total sale of $5,970. It also went home with the best baton and was adjudged with the best spirit.

TSA, for its part, was awarded with the best tent.

Team Binadu of Marianas Health and Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School emerged with the most laps. They came up with a total of 727 laps.

Like in the previous years, several cancer survivors in the CNMI were presented with medallions including Bishop Tomas A. Camacho, who opened the activity with an invocation.

After the team courage lap, Saipan Mayor Juna B. Tudela and Acting Gov. Eloy S. Inos delivered special remarks while Maggie Camacho, one of the cancer survivors, gave her testimony.

Several government agencies and private companies involved in the 2009 MMAC were Hopwood Jr. HS, Xerox Office Machine Saipan, ERICO Enterprises, Northern Marianas College, Friends GI Hinemlo, Office of the Gov. and Lt. Gov, Commonwealth Cancer Association, Department of Public Works, Commonwealth Utilities Corporation, Coral Ocean Point, Department of Public Safety, American Red Cross-CNMI Chapter, Marianas International Travel Agency, and Diocese of Chalan Kanoa.

This year’s title sponsors were Bank of Guam, IT&E, Delta/Northwest Airlines, Take-Care/FHP, Sorensen Media Group, Duty Free Shop, and Joeten Charitable Foundation.

The major sponsors were Bank of Saipan, Saipan Mayor’s Office, Younis Art Studio Inc., DOCOMO Pacific, Shell Marianas, Bank of Hawaii, Angil Design, Hyatt Regency Saipan, Images Saipan Ltd., and DFS Durables Club of Saipan.