H
åfa
Adai Pledge Kids Grows Through Community Programs
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Guam Visitors Bureau
Vice President Antonio Muña Jr.
joins Proa Executive Chef and Owner
Geoffrey Perez
to host a special Håfa Pledge Kids signing ceremony on January 5, 2019 as part of Proa Restaurant Guam’s “Christmas in Paradise” Event.
On January 5, Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) welcomed Proa Re
staurant Hagåtña and
kids from around the island as the newest members of the Håfa Adai Pledge Kids Program.
Over a dozen kids between the ages of 4 and 12 participated in the special Håfa Adai Pledge holiday ceremony hosted by Proa Hagåtña. Proa incorporated the ceremony into its annual “A Christmas in Paradise - Kids Open Mic Night” to celebrate Guam’s unique Christmas experience.
GVB Vice President Tony Mu
ñ
a Jr. shared his excitement in celebrating the program’s 10th Anniversary as well as pushing forward with its newest extension, the Håfa Adai Pledge Kids Program. A roaring “Håfa Adai” echoed throughout Hagåt
ñ
a as Mu
ñ
a led an enthusiastic chant with the kids to kickoff the ceremony.
The children gathered eagerly around the signing table with their certificates as they pledged, “To share the Håfa Adai Spirit, to protect our culture, and to keep our island clean.” This promise was made official in true kid fashion with each participant signing their certificate with a crayon color of their choice.
Executive Chef and Owner of Proa, Geoffrey Perez, spoke on behalf of the restaurant, ”We are so happy the Guam Visitors Bureau is here for us and willing to do this for our island and our kids.”
Mu
ñ
a added, “We are excited with the growth of HAP Kids since we launched the program this past year. Through community events such as this, we are able to welcome children from around the island to take the pledge and learn more about our island’s unique culture.”
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Local Businesses Take the Pledge at
Café de Sirena
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GVB welcomes four local businesses as new HAP members at Café de Sirena in Tumon. From left,
Chris Lizama
, GVB Contracts Administrator;
Dee Hernandez
, GVB Senior Destination Specialist - CHamoru Culture;
Antonio Muña Jr.
, GVB Vice President;
Jessica Kim
, Owner of Halia and Jade;
John Wesley
, Owner of Café de Sirena;
Gary Tanaka
, Partner of The Coconut Tree Company;
Joseph Connelley
, Partner of The Coconut Tree Company; and
Sarah Boucher
, Owner of Shining Shores Sea Glass.
Four local businesses proudly took the Håfa Adai Pledge on December 18, during a ceremony hosted by Café de Sirena at the Plaza Shopping Center in Tumon. During the ceremony, each business owner shared their plans to implement the pledge and spread the Håfa Adai spirit.
Jessica Kim, owner of swimwear brand Halia and Jade, pledged to incorporate local artwork into her handmade designs. She also pledged to use historical sites for the company's photoshoots to promote the beauty of the island and represent the culture.
Sarah Boucher, owner of Shining Shores Sea Glass, creates jewelry and art from sea glass she finds at local beaches. Boucher pledged to recycle, collaborate with local jewelers, and incorporate indigenous CHamoru symbols into her designs.
Gary Tanaka and Joseph Connelley, partners of The Coconut Tree Company, committed to sharing the Håfa Adai spirit, carry on CHamoru traditions and represent Guam through their products, which Connelley believe “demonstrates just a slice of the CHamoru culture.”
John Wesley, owner of Café de Sirena, spoke about the meaning and importance of the café’s name. Wesley noted that the name provides opportunities to practice the tradition of storytelling and to share the legend of Sirena at his shop. He said, “I wanted to offer a unique experience for our tourists who are visiting and extend the Håfa Adai Spirit not necessarily through the drinks, but through the experience that they get at the cafe.”
If your business is interested in taking the H
åfa Adai Pledge, please cal
l: 1-671-646-5278
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Living the Håfa Adai Pledge:
Victor Ian C. Bautista
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Victor "Ian" C. Bautista has worked at Hotel Nikko Guam for the past three years as a waiter at the hotel's restaurant Sunset Beach BBQ. He was hired as a part-time employee but was soon converted to full-time status due to his hard work and enthusiasm in serving the hotel’s guests.
Ian takes pride in representing Hotel Nikko Guam as a waiter. Recently, Ian was checking tables and seating guests. Afterward, he checked the guest restroom to make sure it was in order and found a cell phone, which included several credit cards and cash.The show had already begun, so he could not readily seek out the owner. Assuming that the property might not belong to a guest patronizing the BBQ outlet that evening, he brought the items to the security office. Later in the evening, the guest inquired at the front desk if anyone turned in his cellphone. After making proper identification, the items were returned to the owner.
Ian’s act of turning in valuable property helped to strengthen the good name of Hotel Nikko Guam’s staff and Guam’s reputation as a safe destination for travel. The owner of the phone was surprised that everything was intact, and was very thankful for Ian’s honesty.
Ian's great display of honesty and ethical behavior is a great portrayal of the H
åfa
Adai Spirit and a great way to create lasting bonds between our island and our visitors. It will also encourage visitors to keep coming back. Together, we can make Guam a better place to live, work, and visit!
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From left: Former Senator
Dennis Rodriguez, J
r., GHRA President
Mary P. Rhodes
,
Victor Ian C. Bautista
, Senator
Regine Biscoe Lee,
GVB Chairman of the Board
Milton Morinaga
, and Miss World Guam 2017
Destiny Cruz
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Meet
Amid Sachdev
, Chief Executive Officer, and
Joseph Mateo
, Chief Operating Officer, of Stroll Guam! Take a ride with them as they share more about who they are, what they do, and how Tourism Works for Stroll Guam!
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Did you read this book?
Kao Un Taitai Este Na Lepblo?
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