The Saipan Mayor’s Office and the Office of Personnel Management were the first organizations to turn in their sign up sheets.
OPM has adopted the Garapan Fishing Base and has pledged to recruit 20 volunteers to help beautify the area.
Likewise, the mayor’s office has adopted Beach Road from Afetnas to Koblerville and has pledged 30 staff for roadside trash collection.
“Our first two signups adopted the roads and areas near their offices. This is what we envisioned when we started planning this cleanup,” said co-organizer Joe Kaipat of Division of Environmental Quality. “We hope to get at least 5,000 volunteers this year,” he added.
According to the organizers, the goal of this year’s island wide cleanup is to recruit at least 5,000 volunteers to spend a few hours beautifying the islands, whether it is by picking up litter on a road or beach, painting over graffiti, planting a few trees, or participating in some other activity.
The cleanup organizers are encouraging participants to adopt a spot near their homes, offices, or schools, although some organizations will adopt beaches and/or tourist sites.
The organizers are encouraging the community to get involved as much as possible.
Event co-organizer Angelo Villagomez said, “It would be great if we could get a few families to the roads near their homes. We want people to take ownership and responsibility for the upkeep of their areas of the island.”
The Marianas Visitors Authority is providing funds for garbage bags, rubber gloves, and some paint and the Division of Environmental Quality has pledged to assist with transferring solid waste collected to the transfer station in Lower Base.
Supplies, if needed, will be available for pickup at the DEQ office.
DEQ, the Rotary Club of Saipan, the Marianas Visitors Authority, and the Marianas Tourism Education Council are the co-organizers the island wide cleanup.
For more information on how to participate in the cleanup, contact Joe Kaipat at 664-8500 or Angelo Villagomez at 285-6462 or email [email protected].
