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Helping AETO team perform like the champions they are

FAUTASI FIVA BEGINS: Last Friday, in Pago Pago, Mr. Ho of H&H Samsung, Ella Gurr of Pago Pago Trading Company with Uta Ifeau and the AETO fautasi team, held a donation ceremony. The companies donated $20,000 worth of supplies such as Gatorade sports drinks, Aquafina water, t-shirts, coolers, water bottles, etc.  —  to help the AETO team during their training for the 2017 Flag Day Fautasi Regatta. [photo: Ese Malala]Some of the men of Pago Pago, who are trying out for this year’s AETO fautasi team, celebrating donations from Pago Pago Trading Company and H & H Samsung for their weekly training for one of the biggest event of the year in the territory — 2017 Flag Day Fautasi Race.  [photo: Ese Malala]Ella Gurr General Manager of Pago Pago Trading Company in Tafuna speaks to those who are trying out for the AETO fautasi team, giving them words of encouragement and support.  PPTC and H&H Samsung donated $20,000 worth of goods to help the team. The donations were formally received by the team in Pago Pago, last Friday evening. [photo: Ese Malala]Coaches of the fautasi team AETO of Pago Pago, feeling honored to have received a tremendous sponsorship from Pago Pago Trading Company and H & H Samsung Inc last Friday evening at Pulu’s Guesthouse in Pago Pago. [photo: Ese Malala]
Sponsors donate $20K worth of supplies to AETO fautasi team

“When the crew feels like a champion, looks like a champion, they will perform like champions,” says Ella Gurr – General Manager of Pago Pago Trading Company during her speech last Friday at Pulu Ae Ae Jr.’s Guesthouse in Pago Pago, during the donation ceremony that saw PPTC partner with Mr. Ho of H&H Samsung Inc. to give $20,000 worth of supplies to the Pago Pago fautausi team.

Supplies include Gatorade sports drink, water, water bottles, coolers, 3 different pairs of training shirts and other items that will be provided later.

With Flag Day just around the corner, locals and respective fautasi villages are preparing themselves for what many consider the biggest annual event of the year for our territory.

The celebration is building up — with the kirikiti league, hosted by Samoan Affairs gaining momentum for championship bragging rights, village groups practicing for siva & pese performances at the Veterans Memorial Stadium, as well as a host of other annual Flag Day events — such as canoe races, volleyball and boxing tournaments. But the spotlight is on ‘le faigamea i le tai’ — the 2017 Flag Day Fautasi regatta.

(It should be noted that no official schedule has been released about this year’s Flag Day celebrations, including special guests.)

During the donation ceremony, Gurr said, “I do hope that other corporate businesses are able to do the same for other respective fautasi villages, so we can better our youth to carry on the traditions of our local communities.”

AETO DONATION

High Chief Pulu Ae Ae Jr. gave the welcoming speech at the donation ceremony and expressed how lucky the AETO fautasi team was to have such loving people go out of their way to sponsor them.

Pago Pago Trading Company (PPTC) and H&H Samsung Inc. both noted that they wanted to support the AETO team’s enrichment of local traditions, and to encourage the youth’s participation in their local community.

Mr. Ho of H&H Samsung Inc. told Samoa News, “I wanted to support the AETO team because my business started in Pago Pago, and my company is still here going strong for more than 10 years.”

Ella Gurr of PPTC pointed to her roots in Pago Pago, saying, “I grew up in Pago Pago and I remember the Aeto — it has been a great team for years and years. I would see them train non-stop everyday and were always motivated throughout those years, but lately the team’s morale has gone down. I want to give back to my community to help and support them, to make them feel like champions, so they can train like champions.”

She said, “I have faith in the AETO because they produce champions. I want to let you guys know, there is a team behind you who is supporting you.”

During the donation ceremony, Uta Ifeau coach and representative of the AETO committee accepted the donation and spoke of the committee’s gratitude to the sponsors for being willing to help with the team. He said, “This is the first time something like this has happened to the AETO team. We are so blessed with such good examples of service.”

He added to Samoa News, “The boys are now feeling more motivated to train harder to make Pago Pago proud. We usually supply the drinks for the boys but now with their (sponsors) help we can now only focus on coaching the boys to do better because we do have a lot to work on so we can be like the AETO champions we were before.”

The official crew of AETO has not been picked yet as it will happen when it gets closer to Flag Day. Uta said he hopes for the boat to be taken down next week, so they can teach more techniques to the boys.

The boat holds 36 crewmembers and right now there are 50 boys trying out to represent the home of the mighty eagles at this year’s Flag Day fautasi race.

Otto who has rowed for the AETO team for more than 10 years said, “These sponsors have so much respect for our community, to be able to do such a great act of kindness despite how weak we have been lately. This is definitely a big push for us to do better and I am sincerely thankful for them doing this for us.”

After the donation ceremony, the AETO team went back to their training behind the Pago Plaza building. The boys were inspired by the example that took place, and are looking to put 100% effort into their trainings.

There were others who witnessed the donation ceremony from outside the guesthouse, and heard of the big support from the sponsors, and joined Saturday’s training.

The AETO fautasi team trains weekly and with the help of the sponsors they have now included Saturdays as part of their training days.

“It is so great to have sponsors now because it puts in so much perspective in what we are doing, it’s really pushing us to do more. Even if you don’t get picked to row — we should continue to support just as how these sponsors are supporting us,” says Anthony, who is trying out for the team first time ever.