Former CNMI Residents donate prizes for island-wide cleanup

Two former residents of the CNMI have donated $300 in prizes to be given out to participants of the upcoming island-wide cleanup. Ron and Nancy Kramis of Bellingham, Washington decided to donate the prize money because they wanted to somehow participate in the event planned for April 17.

“We’ve been following Beautify CNMI since it was formed and when we lived in the CNMI we would volunteer. We are back in Washington now and we wanted to help out. Ron came up with this idea for us to participate,” commented Nancy Kramis who worked with PSS and DPH when she was living in the CNMI.

“Whoever wins the prizes can spend the money anyway they like, but when I came up with the idea I thought that the prizes could be used to purchase school supplies or more cleanup supplies. Maybe if some students win they could have a pizza party to celebrate their hard work,” added Ron Kramis.

Event organizers have decided to use the prize money to give out three $100 prizes. The first prize will be $100 cash given to one of the participating groups at random. Every volunteer group, business, or school that participates will have their names put into a hat and one of them will be the lucky winner of $100.

The other two prizes require the coordinators of the volunteering organization to submit a photograph. The volunteer group that picks up the most garbage, as evidenced by a photograph of trash collected on the day of the cleanup will win $100. Likewise, the volunteer group that recruits the most volunteers, as evidenced by a group photograph on the day of the cleanup will also win $100.

“We are blessed to have such generous benefactors. These prizes are a nice way to reward all the hard work that volunteer groups have been doing for Beautify CNMI over the years. Ron and Nancy Kramis deserve a heartfelt si yu’us ma’ase,” said event co-organizer Angelo Villagomez.

Division of Environmental Quality, Rotary Club of Saipan, Marianas Visitors Authority, and Marianas Tourism Education Council are the co-organizers of the island-wide cleanup.

For more information on the how to participate in the cleanup, contact Joe Kaipat at 664-8500 or Angelo Villagomez at 285-6462 or via Email at angelovillagomez@gmail.com.