Where is Saipan?
The Rotary Club Of Saipan At A Glance
During Rotary Year 1967 – 68 and under the leadership of Rotary Club of Guam President Jim Alger, Past President Robert (Bob) J. Barry was appointed by Rotary International as the Special Representative to chair the Club Extension Committee to look into the feasibility of extending Rotary to Saipan. Based on the extension survey made by PP Bob Barry and Rotarian Bill Gibson submitted on June 17, 1966, shows that David M. Sablan and John Trace, two former members of the Rotary Club of Guam, and Jim Hawkins, a former member of the Rotary Club of Juneau, Alaska, were residing in Saipan. As a result of the efforts of these dedicated men, an organizational meeting was held on January 27, 1968 at the Royal Taga Hotel on Saipan, with 32 Charter members of the provisional club and 25 visiting Rotarians from Guam in attendance, and on February 1, 1968, the Special Representative report, together with the application for admission to Rotary International and the list of the 28 charter members were forwarded to Mr. Kendall W. Young of Rotary International. On February 16, 1968, Rotary International with David M. Sablan as its first President chartered the Rotary Club of Saipan. Preliminary meetings were held at the famous Hamilton's Bar and Restaurant, Gualo Rai. On March 22, 1968, the Rotary Club of Saipan held its Charter Night at the Royal Taga Hotel, Susupe. Distinguished guests in attendance for the Charter Night were High Commissioner and Mrs. William R. Norwood, Guam Governor and Mrs. Manuel F. Leon Guerrero, Deputy High Commissioner and Mrs. Martin P. Mangan, Chief Justice and Mrs. Robert K. Shoecraft, Chief Justice (retired) and Mrs. Edward P. Furber, Congress of Micronesia House Speaker Bethwel Henry, Congress of Micronesia Senate President John O. Ngiraked, District Administrator and Mrs. Peter T. Coleman, Deputy Director of Peace Corps Micronesia Robert Burns and officers and members of Guam Rotary Club.
The membership of the club consisted of business, professional and government people, the majority of who were government employees. At that time the economy of Saipan was small and most people worked for the Government of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Since the majority of the members had only a one-hour lunch, the club held its weekly meetings at 7:00 o'clock at night.
As the economy of Saipan expanded and the private sector grew, more business and professional people joined the club until the government employees became a small minority of the membership. When that happened the club decided to change its weekly meeting time to 12:00 noon. Because many of the club members come to Saipan for employment purposes and leave the island at the end of their employment, the club membership changes quite often.
The club met every Tuesday night at the Royal Taga Hotel for many years until new and bigger hotels were build and the membership spread throughout the island. The club then decided to move its meeting place to central Garapan and into the Saipan Beach Intercontinental Hotel, presently known as Saipan Dai-Ichi Hotel. When the Intercon decided to expand its facilities, the club temporarily moves back to Diamond Hotel, previously the Royal Taga Hotel. Upon completion of the Intercon, the club moved back to Dai-Ichi Saipan Beach Hotel, previously the Intercontinental Hotel. When Dai-Ichi Hotel started charging the club for the use of its previously free office space, it decided to move to the Hyatt Regency Hotel, where it still meets today.
To support its many humanitarian and community projects the club holds Las Vegas Nights 3 or 4 times a year, generating about $20,000.00 a year. As a nonprofit organization, the club received a waiver from the prohibition of gambling under Northern Marianas law. In Rotary Year 1999 – 2000 and under the leadership President Alexander A. Sablan, the club had golf tournament and fishing derby as part of its funding raising activities. In addition, the club holds raffles, auctions, and collects fines from its members at its regular meetings or other functions.
All known residential fire victims receive $500.00 immediately from the club to help replace some of their loses. Every year the club sponsors a Christmas picnic for special children with handicap so that the children will experience personally shaking hands with and receiving a gift from Santa Clause. The club provides the gifts, food, drinks, and entertainment. Annually, the club also used to hands out several scholarship awards to different schools for various vocations, such as nursing, medicine, auto mechanic, law, teaching, etc. The club, in collaboration with DFS, had donated musical instruments to schools in Saipan.
The Rotary Club of Saipan in 1995 was designated by Rotary International District 2750 to survey and start the Rotary Club of Palau. Past Presidents Elias Okamura and Dennis Yoshimoto were designated by District Governor Hiroshi Maruyama as his special representatives for the establishment of the Rotary Club of Palau. The Rotary Club of Palau was formally admitted to Rotary International on October 16, 1995 and held its Charter Night on November 25, 1995.
As part of an international organization the club participates in international functions such as the annual District 2750 Conference in Tokyo and the Rotary International Conventions held annually in different countries. It also contributes to international relief programs for victims of natural catastrophes like typhoons, earthquakes, volcano eruptions, or epidemic disease such as polio.