30 months of cleaning up Garapan

Saipan, (CNMI) – On the first Sunday of every month, Beautify CNMI volunteers show up at the American Memorial Park parking lot at 8 AM for a cleanup of the Garapan tourist district. On a typical morning they will spend 90 minutes cleaning the area and will fill at least two pickup truck beds with garbage found on the streets.

The cleanup on March 1, 2009 marked the 30th consecutive month of volunteers combing the Garapan streets for litter. The volunteer participants this month were the staff from Paseo De Marianas Promoters, members of the Rotary Club of Saipan, and students from local high schools. Friends of the Mariana Islands transferred the trash to the transfer station in Lower Base.

When asked about the cleanup, Saipan Southern High School sophomore Jacquelyn Johanna David said all the litter she found lying on the ground made her “angry.” She added, “I wish people would pick up after themselves and I wish the government would start issuing litter fines.”

The Garapan cleanup is sponsored by Friends of the Mariana Islands and Paseo de Marianas Promoters, Inc. For more information or to volunteer, please contact Angelo Villagomez at (670) 285 6462 or Marites Castillo at (670) 285 8980. The next Beautify CNMI cleanup will take place on Sunday, March 8 on Isa Drive. Volunteers will meet at the Java Joe's parking lot at 8 AM.