Hundreds participate in cash and carry sale

By Kevin Tano
Pacific Daily News
July 28, 2018

https://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2018/07/28/hundreds-participate-cash-and-carry-sale/839873002/

Bargain hunters look over furnishings displayed during a cash and carry sale held by the Archdiocese of Agana at the former Accion Hotel in Yona on Saturday, July 28, 2018. The Archdiocese hosted the sale to clear the contents from the property in efforts to prepare the real estate to be sold, said Deacon Leonard Stohr of the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Yigo. Photo by Rick Cruz

More than hundreds of interested buyers packed the parking lot and crowded the halls of the former Accion Hotel hoping to find bargain deals at its cash and carry sale Saturday. 

The hotel was also the site subject to protest and lawsuit, and used as a Redemptoris Mater Seminary for the Neocatechumenal Way. 

"This is pandemonium, everywhere I look (there's) people," said Leonard Stohr, deacon for Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Yigo. 

According to Stohr, there was an estimated 350 people camping outside the hotel's entrance at 5 a.m.  

Patrick Wolff, resident of Tumon, came with his family and grandchildren a little while after the sale began. He was amazed of the amount of people in attendance, but most of all that they were already leaving the area with items in their trunks. 

Aside from the sale, more than anything else, Wolff said, is that he wanted to explore the property. "I heard it was incredible, and it is," he added. 

Additionally, he said he wanted to support the church and their efforts to raise money for a good cause of helping those who were victimized. 

The 70-year-old said the property could be used for other purposes, however, he said the church is in a position where they have few options and need to recover funds to help pay for possible settlements.

"This has been under the ownership of the church for a long time. We had a chance to use it, but now ... we have to part with it," he said. "I think that's the sad reality."    

David Taitano, 50, was one of the early birds at the sale, leaving his home in Tumon with his wife at 6 a.m., arrived at 7 a.m., and waited in line for about an hour.

Taitano said the turnout was anticipated. He said he prays for those victimized and hopes that everything works out in the end. 

The goal of today's sale today, Storhr said, was to sell all the furniture, kitchen equipment, and other items for the Archdiocese of Agana.  

"Pretty much anything that's here that's not nailed down, bolted down, or glued down," he added. 

Additionally, the sale comes in preparation for the realtor to assess the property and would be able to do that properly once the rooms are cleared, he said.   

The estimated value for the items sold—excluding the hotel—is around $45,000, he added. 

The former seminary has since closed its door since the end of December last year and is listed as one of the 41 non-essential properties that could be sold to help the archdiocese raise money to settle sex abuse lawsuits. 

Administrators for Pacific Islands University — a graduate seminary throughout the Micronesia region—were looking to purchase furniture, desks, and chairs for the school.  

Alex Tavares, vice president of student development, said the school trains disciples and students to go out and make an impact to the community.

Scott Refilong, resident director for the Mangilao school, stood out with Tavares, outside the hotel grounds waiting for admission into the hotel's library to check for tables and white boards. 

Tavares said he would love to use the hotel grounds as campus. But realistically he said, the structure is a hotel by design and could be used profitably to highlight the island's tourist spots on the southern side of the island.