WITH a $5,000 donation to the Northern Marianas Sports Association and $3,000 to Northern Marianas Athletics, McDonald’s of Guam and Saipan continues its commitment to supporting sports in the CNMI.
On Thursday, McDonald’s owner/operator Marcia Ayuyu handed Northern Marianas Athletics Vice President Lia Rangamar a check for $3,000 for the McDonald’s All-Schools Athletics Championship, which will be held this summer.
On Friday, Ayuyu handed NMASA Board President Jerry Tan a $5,000 donation for Team Marianas, a delegation of 160 local athletes, who will compete in the 2025 Pacific Mini Games that Palau is hosting from June 29 to July 9, 2025.
Rangamar said NMA is very grateful for McDonald’s continuous sponsorship of annual sports events for students. She said since she was a child, the Ayuyu family and McDonald’s have been sponsoring the All-Schools Championship.
“We are extremely grateful for their generosity and commitment. All-Schools is huge, and it is our biggest event every year. It’s great to have this event…because we have just been seeing the growth of the sport,” Rangamar said, referring to athletics.
Tan thanked the Ayuyu family, especially McDonald’s of Guam and Saipan President Jose C. Ayuyu and owner/operator Marcia Ayuyu. He said they have been very big supporters of sports in general.
“As you know, they have sponsored the All-Schools athletic events for many years. Without sponsors like McDonald’s and the Ayuyu family, we would not be able to send as many athletes and coaches as we want to all these [off-island] games,” Tan said.
For the 2025 Pacific Mini Games in Palau, he said Team Marianas will compete in 10 of the 14 sports events.
Tan said he was very happy that many local athletes are interested in competing. “It’s not just signing up and going there…. Athletes have to go through a lot of hard work. They do their own fundraising, they have to attend a lot of training sessions, and there must be commitment from the athletes and the coaches. Some of them have schools to attend or have work to do so they also need a lot of support from the family,” Tan said.
Marcia Ayuyu reiterated McDonald’s of Guam and Saipan’s commitment to the CNMI sports community.
“Our athletes’ participation in the Pacific Mini Games is an important event for our community and this donation is our own way of giving back to the community,” she said.
She added that despite the economic challenges in these difficult times, “we are thankful that our family is able to help.”
For her part, Mable Ayuyu-Glenn, vice president of RJ Corp. and RJ Guam LLC, said McDonald’s has been the major sponsor for the annual track and field events. “It has been our commitment for over 10 years, and has been our ongoing commitment,” she added.
She said the All-Schools Championship showcases the athletic abilities of elementary, middle, and high school students, while also providing an opportunity for families to unite in support of their children’s participation in activities that promote physical fitness.
“We are always proud to partner with them and host a fantastic event. They do an amazing job every year, and many families look forward to this event to support their kids,” Ayuyu-Glenn said.
Northern Marianas Sports Association Board President Jerry Tan and McDonald’s Restaurant of Guam and Saipan owner/operator Marcia Ayuyu hold the ceremonial check for $5,000 that McDonald’s donated to Team Marianas on Friday at McDonald’s Middle Road.
Photo by James Sablan
McDonald’s Restaurant of Guam and Saipan owner/operator Marcia Ayuyu and Rep. Elias Rangamar hold a ceremonial check for $3,000 for the McDonald’s All-Schools Championship on Thursday. Also in photo are NMA Vice President Lia Rangamar, left, Oceania President Robin Sapong, right, McDonald’s Middle Road general manager Ruthzel Perez, second left, and service crewmember Marvin, third left.
Photo by Emmanuel T. Erediano
