FOR the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the CNMI in 2020, the auditorium of the Manamko’ Center on Friday was filled with people singing and dancing — activities that would not have been possible in the last couple of years.
Dozens of senior citizens sang songs by the Beatles and other popular tunes with a visiting saxophone ensemble from South Korea.
The musicians are Global Education Oriented School junior students who played lively music that prompted the senior citizens to get up and dance.
Aging Office Director Walter Manglona said he was glad “to be able to finally see the center accepting visitors again.”
By November last year, Manglona said all the senior citizens who frequented the manamko’ center had been fully vaccinated and most had received their booster shots.
This allowed the center to accept a limited number of visitors who wanted to make donations to the manamko’.
Last Friday’s mini-concert was the biggest event at the manamko’ center since 2020, Manglona said.
He added that all the senior citizens at the center are fully vaccinated and have received their booster shots, “so we will continue to slowly open our doors and welcome visitors.”
He added, “It is just a newfound appreciation…. It’s kind of a blessing to be able to finally do this again.”
The senior citizens are considered the most vulnerable population, “so we try to do everything in our power to keep them safe and protect them,” Manglona said, adding that a lot of the manamko’ are still wearing masks.
“It’s a personal choice,” he said. “Even with the vaccine and the booster shots, we continue to remind them to wash their hands, keep their masks on, and if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms to stay home.”
Now that the manamko’ are back at the center to receive visitors and have a good time, “a lot of them feel rejuvenated,” Manglona said.
Senior citizens dance during the mini-concert of the Global Education Oriented School saxophone ensemble at the Manamko’ Center on Friday.
