Beautify CNMI to clean up after parade

From the Saipan Tribune:

Beautify CNMI coalition partners announced yesterday that they will provide cleanup services on the tail of the Liberation Day parade.

"We’ve wanted to do something on July 4 for several years now but it wasn’t until this year that we had a way to volunteer," said Beautify CNMI coordinator Angelo Villagomez.

Beautify CNMI solid waste committee chair Joe Kaipat proposed the cleanup at the coalition’s monthly meeting yesterday.

"The coalition partners were immediately excited about the idea and set about organizing the event," said Villagomez.

He said Beautify CNMI expects about 30 volunteers but are open to having more people join them.

"Anyone who volunteers to help will be given the new edition Beautify CNMI t-shirts," Villagomez said.

The t-shirts are green and blue and designed by Dexter Mendiola, creator of the Fotten Gaga shirts.

Volunteers will also be provided with water, garbage bags, and gloves.

The group will march at the end of the parade with trash trailers and pickup trucks. They will collect trash and ask parade attendees to pitch their garbage into the trailers.

"I hope we can do this every year," Kaipat said at the meeting.

This will be the first time that the coalition has participated in the parade since providing recycling services in 2006.

More information on Beautify CNMI can be found at www.beautifycnmi.org.