‘The community appreciates work you do’

The COVID-19 pandemic has got the world on a standstill. The CNMI has been under executive order to stay home, observe limited time in public places, and follow the curfew hours all because of safety reasons.

Not everyone gets to do these like our frontliners who put themselves out there to help mitigate the spread of the virus and give care for those infected. For this reason, the community steps up, comes together with an increased sense of compassion and benevolence to frontliners.

Private businesses and people have been showing support in whatever way to get the message across that the “community appreciates the work that you do.”

The COVID-19 Task Force Commonwealth Health Care Corp. is composed of over a hundred doctors and nurses assigned at the hospital and at the quarantine sites. These men and women demonstrate commitment and dedication to the profession they signed up for and the sacrifices they make every day to protect the community.

Earlier this month, the CNMI franchise of fast food giant KFC stepped up to the plate with a donation of 100 food packs to CNMI health care frontliners as a show of support for their efforts.

In an earlier interview, Ramona Jones, CEO of Jones & Guerrero, which is the local franchisee of the Saipan branch of KFC/Taco Bell, said helping and supporting the CNMI’s health care workers is a privilege. “We just want to give back to the community and support our health workers during these challenging times,” she said. “Our hope is that this will inspire other local businesses to consider extending the same gesture if they are able.”

Last Friday, private citizens, who requested not to be named, treated the medical frontliners lunch.

“The medical care providers are today’s soldiers landing on beaches and firefighters running up the towers. They know the risks to themselves and to their families, but they still go every single day. The least we can do is buy them lunch, this way, we are helping local businesses as well to thrive and persevere during this challenging time and hopefully encourage others to be proactive.”

One of the several responsibilities of the COVID-19 Task Force Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services is to man the quarantine sites at Kanoa Resort in Susupe, Pacific Island Club Saipan in San Antonio, and the former Mariana Resort & Spa in Mapri.

Last week, The COVID-19 Task Force DFEMS received donations of bread from Great Harvest Bread Co. Saipan, water from Joeten Enterprise, and cup noodles from Dong A Corp.

According to Maria Valentina Haberman of Triple J Marketing, they cannot say thank you enough to the DFEMS team assigned at the quarantine sites. “It is Great Harvest’s way of showing appreciation… it was a genuine gesture from the Great Harvest team to the men and women of DFEMS,” she said.

Aside from donations, comments from the community from the Facebook pages of COVID 19 Task Force gave out encouragement and gratitude.

Kevin-Yuline Fitial wrote DFEMS saying thank you for all their sacrifices. Joaquina Mendiola in her comment send her prayers to DFEMS team.

COVID-19 Task Force Commonwealth Office of Transit Authority is responsible for the transport of passengers from the airport to the quarantine sites and their transfer. William Indalecio posted on their Facebook page words of gratitude “Thank you guys for the service and all the hardship that you undergo to protect the community. You guys are truly heroes,” he said.

The pandemic reminds us all the importance of community, the Marianastrong spirit, compassion, and humanity. CHCC CEO Esther Muna said, “We must take courage and continue to play our part to fight this virus.”