Friday, November 26, 2021
It is common to think that village beautification is a government or private sector function. However, as residents, we are the bigger number with helping hands. This is the reason I knew my family from Chalan Piao had to be part of The Marianas Village Pride (MVP) Campaign. My husband Mark and I, along with the families of Chris and Natsu Concepcion, Joey and Eleanor Guerrero, and Sean and Kim White – Team Chalan Piao – signed up with the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers (GCEA) under the Adopt-A-Median program.
The Adopt-A-Median program promotes safety for all motorists on the island and knowing that the Chalan Piao intersections are some of the busiest at the southern side, it was an easy decision to find out more on how we can rehabilitate this critical area. With help from GCEA’s team assisting us with tools and materials, we successfully cleaned and repainted our adopted medians in two days. Now, we are one step closer to achieving a safer Chalan Piao for our residents and visitors. Our next step is creating our very own “Welcome to Chalan Piao” sign that will help all visitors feel the welcoming spirit and easily navigate their way around the island.
Though we have initiated our clean-up efforts, we can’t do it alone. As the saying goes, it takes a community to build a village, so we encourage and invite our village members to participate in the different projects we are planning: adopting and painting a square at the median, anti-litter signs for our shorelines and in the village, painting of our power poles and village-wide cleanups. We hope that through these efforts, and as we start to build relationships throughout our village, we can expand our efforts to develop a neighborhood watch or safety program.
We know that there is more work to be done around the island, but this effort starts in the village. This Public Private Partnership is so ideal that “together, we can” truly make a difference in improving our overall quality of life. Together, we can lend our helping hands to support the MVP campaign’s mission to improve the quality of life for all residents by making our villages better places to live.
As we approach the holidays, let’s continue to push village cleanups and make sure that we leave our beaches and public areas free of trash. I challenge all village members and business owners to take ownership of their respective villages and join us in keeping The Marianas clean!
Team Chalan Piao would like to extend our gratitude to all who have made the Marianas a better place. May your days be filled with family and friends, love, laughter, happiness, and great blessings to carry you throughout the holiday season!
For more information, visit the GCEA at cnmieconomy.com, on Facebook and Instagram (@cnmigov.economy), or contact them at gceacnmi@gmail.com.
By Catherine Attao-Toves
Catherine Attao-Toves is a proud resident of Chalan Piao. She and her family were instrumental in leading the village sign project, which will soon be a reality for all villages throughout the Marianas. Catherine is proof that one village resident can make a positive difference in our community.
Saipan Tribune
Marianas Variety