Ayuda lines up slew of events for November

The Ayuda Network Inc. has lined up several events for November, which is National Family Caregivers Month and National Diabetes Awareness Month. The Commonwealth Respite Service Program and other agencies from the government and private sector are Ayuda’s partners for the programs.

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres signed the two proclamations on Monday to kick off the monthlong activities. A radio talk show segment is scheduled on Nov. 3, 10, 11, and 17 to raise awareness on diabetes and respite care.

Caregivers and volunteer respite providers will have a whole day CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and first aid training on Saturday, Nov. 5, at the Northern Marianas College’s room D1. A day of prayer is set the following day, Nov. 6.

One in eight adults in the CNMI has been diagnosed with diabetes—an illness that causes one to experience a high sugar level—that leads to kidney failure, blindness, amputation aside from being a contributor to heart attack, stroke, and hypertension.

A three-day fundraising softball tournament is scheduled on the Veteran’s Day weekend starting Nov. 11, Friday, and stretches to the championship game on Sunday, Nov. 13. All games will be played at the Capital Hill ballfield. The tournament aims to raise money to buy Thanksgiving Day baskets to be given away to family caregivers.

Organizers have also scheduled a two-day outreach blood screening at the Governor’s Office on Nov. 16 and at the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. on Nov. 17.

The Garapan Central Park in China Town will be the venue for the Stress-Free Holiday Fair on Nov. 19 from 5:30pm to 9:30pm where family caregivers will enjoy stress-reducing activities in time for the holiday and the spirit of Thanksgiving.

The Don’t Be a Turkey Walk is another fundraising activity on Nov. 26 with Mobil as sponsor. The walk starts at 5am from Minatchom Atdao going to Quartermaster Road and back.

Nov. 29 and 30 will be the Diabetes and Family Caregivers Symposium from 7am to 4:30pm at the Saipan World Resort. Issues concerning diabetes and how caregivers can approach the disease will be discussed in the two-day symposium.

Organizers are still looking for sponsor that can help them raise or shoulder $3,000 for the symposium, where they had already invited a number of middle and high school students to participate.

For more information, call the Ayuda Network at 322-7469 or email them at ayudanet1@ayuda-cnmi.org or crsp.ayudanet@gmail.com.