FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 23, 2012
In an effort to assist the island, personnel and halfway house inmates of the Department of Corrections volunteered their time last Saturday, February 18, to cut down old trees at the Oceanview Middle School campus.
The Office of the Governor, Office of the Lieutenant Governor, and Director San Agustin were quick to act when the principal of Oceanview Middle School made a public request for assistance in clearing the overgrown trees on her campus. While GPA has provided assistance to DOE in the past, their continuing support is dependent on their schedule of maintenance work.
The Agat campus is home to nearly a dozen old trees that pose safety hazards for the hundreds of students that roam the school. The branches of these trees are overgrown and, could possibly fall and injure both students and faculty.
“I have always been an advocate for safe grounds keeping for our school children,” said Department of Corrections Director Joe San Agustin. “So when the Offices of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor put out a request for support to DOE, we volunteered our time.”
After an assessment of the grounds performed by Director San Agustin, Chief Forester of the Department of Agriculture Forestry Division, Mr. Joe Mafnas, and Principal Lynda Hernandez-Avilla, they went straight to planning the work needed to be done. Director San Agustin estimates it will take at least three more weekends for the volunteers to cut and clear the trees and roots.
“I applaud Director San Agustin and his team of volunteers for taking the initiative to help their community and a fellow agency for the safety of Guam’s students,” said Acting Governor Ray Tenorio’s Chief of Staff, Dong Choe. “We are very thankful to see this kind of unity between the agencies to accomplish goals — it starts with us.”
Oceanview Middle School won’t be the only school getting some assistance. San Agustin says that they are also working with several other schools and the maintenance of their campuses. All equipment is owned by, or donated to the Department of Corrections, the Mayor’s Council of Guam, Lieutenant Governor Ray Tenorio’s Islandwide Beautification Task Force, and various private businesses.
For more information, please call Raymond D. Gibson at 475-9380.
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