Pinoy priest wins $10K in Red Cross - NMI raffle

GARAPAN, Saipan – Father Ryan Jimenez, a native of Siquijor, received as a gift $100 worth of American Red Cross-NMI Chapter raffle ticket, which eventually won the first prize of $10,000. Jimenez, of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa on Saipan, told GMANews.TV that a portion of his winning would go to the renovation of the rectory of Mount Carmel Cathedral, where he was reassigned exactly a week prior to winning in the raffle draw. “This will be a good start. At least we would have some funds to repair the rectory…I didn’t even buy the ticket; it was a gift to me. I went there mainly for the food and to support Red Cross," the new director of the cathedral said. Before his reassignment, Jimenez was with the Kristo Rai Parish Church in Garapan, where he celebrated Mass for at least four years since his ordination in 2003. “Father Ryan," as he is fondly called on Saipan, said another portion of his winnings would go to a feeding program for the poor in the Philippines. “The rest would be for friends…my winning has come at a best time because I will go home in November for my mother’s birthday," he said. Father Ryan was one of the estimated 1,300 individuals who attended the American Red Cross-NMI Chapter’s signature Club 200 fund raising event on Oct. 13 held at the Hyatt Regency Saipan garden. It was a night of fun, food and live entertainment courtesy of the popular Hawaii band Kapena. Many of those who attended Red Cross’ biggest annual fund raising event, which is now on its 19th year, were dressed in ‘50s fashion – the men wore high-collared shirts and blue jeans just like Elvis Presley and other rock ‘n roll icons of the era. The winner of the $15,000 grand prize, Joeten Group of Companies, decided to donate their winnings. But Red Cross held another draw and picked the name of a Saipan resident. - GMANews.TV