Volunteers Support Art in the Park
May 3, 2017
During the months of March and April, the National Park Service and Pacific Historic Parks held the first-ever Art in the Park program at American Memorial Park on Saipan. This program brought local artists to the park to share their craft with the community.
Participants learned about pastels, photography, traditional beading and painting with banana trees from the experts. Nearly 200 youth and adults came to the park and spent the mornings being inspired by the park and its mission, which is to honor the American and Marianas people who gave their lives during the Marianas campaign of World War II.
This program, like many public events at American Memorial Park, relied on the support of community volunteers. Volunteers for Art in the Park came to the program from Saipan’s public school system and local community college, Northern Marianas College, as part of its Service Learning Program. They helped to set up, guided young participants and assisted the artists in the teaching process.
Several of these volunteers, such as Ryan Guevarra who is working on his associate of arts degree, volunteered for every session. He enthusiastically helped in all aspects of the program and is looking forward to coming back to volunteer in the future.
American Memorial Park depends on the support of volunteers to successfully implement programs and activities. In 2016, more than 300 volunteers gave their time to help at the park, committing more than 1,200 hours. Volunteers make a big impact by dedicating their time to the park and by interacting with the public.