Sailors stationed on Guam are taking time out of their busy schedules to give back to the community. Last week, they teamed up with local officials to spruce up a Paseo park in the heart of Hagåtña. 

"We always appreciate it when people who are not from Guam come out here and have everything you need to do but yet you still find the time to give more," said FCA1 Artaivius Robinson. It wasn’t a mission at sea—but a mission of service—at Paseo De Susana Park in Guam’s capital city.  Close to 50 sailors from several Navy units, including Naval Base Guam and the USS Frank Cable, joined forces to give the park a facelift—repainting pavilions, retouching curbs, and trimming overgrown brush. 

Robinson is with NBG Security Forces and said, ""Me and my friends use Paseo Park for its resources, especially Chamorro Village. And I thought the best way to give back is by volunteering."

The project was coordinated by the NBG Public Affairs Office along with Guam’s Department of Parks & Recreation and DPR Park Police. Park Police Chief Joey Terlaje on the importance of the partnership and preserving public spaces said, "It builds good camaraderie, it provides community support, we go out there and identify things that need to be done outside of the gate and we tackle it. we ensure we are making it nice and safe not only for the local side but the military, too."

HT3 Cody Collins is with the Pearl Harbor Naval Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility Detachment Guam and shares why he came out and volunteered, saying, "Just being able to experience the island and see more of the park, see what the parks and the island have to offer, and just give back to the community. All the great people out here on Guam, the great food, they take care of us, we take care of them."

After the work, volunteers and DPR staff sat down for a well-earned lunch, sharing more than just a meal, but a sense of pride in keeping this historic space vibrant. From sports and social gatherings to fishing and paddling, Paseo De Susana remains a vital piece of island life. And thanks to these helping hands, it’s now looking better than ever.

"Thank you to all the Navy and all who participated in the cleanup here at Paseo, Chief Terlaje said.

It makes for a great example of partnership in action, thanks to those sailors and volunteers for their service on- and off-duty. Robinson said, "I encourage my fellow servicemembers to come out and view what Guam has to offer and the best way to do that is by getting out to the community itself."

Collins added, "Take care of the people, everybody here is really friendly, and just try something new. It's important to try something different any time you have a chance."