Community Briefs – May 4, 2017

May is Taste of the Marianas Festival
The 19th Annual Taste of the Marianas International Food Festival & Beer Garden will be held every Saturday in May at Garapan Fishing Base from 6pm to 10pm. This Saturday’s entertainment includes 180 Revolution, the opening ceremony, K-Pop, Glushko’s Academy of Performing Arts, Simiyan Mariana-ta, Tiul Belau Dancers, and Refaluwasch Warriors. This week will also feature a Hotdog Eating Contest sponsored by Docomo Pacific. For more information, follow the Marianas Visitors Authority on facebook.com/MyMarianas. (MVA)

Grief support group to meet today
The Compassionate Friends of Saipan will be holding their monthly grief support meeting today, May 4, from 6pm to 7:30pm, in the NMPASI conference room on Middle Road, in Gualo Rai. The mission of The Compassionate Friends is to assist families in the positive resolution of grief following the death of a child of any age and to provide information to help others to be supportive. For more information, e-mail tcfSaipan@gmail.com or call Jill Derickson (989-9821) or Donna Krum (783-1900). To learn more about The Compassionate Friends, visit their website at www.compassionatefriends.org. (PR)

Family reunion meetings every Thursday
The family of Leonardo Muna Camacho and Maria Padilla Campos (Naddu family tree) will be holding a family reunion on July 28 and 29, 2017. Meetings are currently being held every Thursday at the kiosku building, across the U.S. Post Office in Chalan Kanoa.  Gathering time starts at 5:30pm with the official beginning time at 6pm. We encourage and welcome family members and representatives to be present in our weekly meetings. (PR)

Coffee with the Chacha principal on Friday
Chacha Oceanview Middle School will be hosting “Coffee with the Principal” to discuss the upcoming 8th grade promotional ceremony with parents, guardians, and the community. The meeting will be held in the school cafeteria at 10am on Friday, May 5, 2017. Call the school at 237-3921 or 664-4100 if you have any question or concerns. (PR)

Tourism Month graphic art design contest
The Marianas Visitors Authority and Marianas Tourism Education Council are holding a Tourism Month 2017 Graphic Arts Design Contest for CNMI students in grades 6-12. Submissions must be an original digital design with the words “See My Marianas” featuring a site/location in the Marianas that the artist would encourage people to visit. The deadline to submit entries is May 12, 2017. Prizes begin at $150 cash plus $150 Taste of the Marianas tokens for first place. The deadline to submit entries is May 12, 2017. For contest guidelines, visit www.mymaianas.com. (MVA)

Notice to Prior Service Trust Fund beneficiaries
This notice applies to the Prior Service Trust Fund beneficiaries who are having their monthly benefit checks directly deposited to their account at Bank of Guam. Effective June 1, 2017, Bank of Guam will no longer perform this service for you. In the interim, until PSTF can establish an automatic deposit clearing, PSTF will be mailing your benefit check to your mailing address on file. Contact the PSTF Administration Office at telephone number 322-9753 to confirm your current mailing address by June 1, 2017. The PSTF office is open on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8am to noon and from 1pm to 5pm. (PR)

VA benefits counselor visiting Saipan
The U.S. Department of Veterans benefits administration will be visiting Saipan. A VA benefits counselor will be at the Saipan VA Outreach Clinic on May 24, 2017, from 9:30am to 3:30pm to answer benefits questions, and assist with the claim process. The Saipan VA Outreach Clinic is located at the MH II Bldg., Suite 206, Marina Heights Business Park in Garapan. To request an appointment, contact Ruth Coleman at 322-0035. (PR)

Vendors invited to NMC Annual Charter Day
The Northern Marianas College is inviting vendors to take part in the college’s 36th annual Charter Day celebration on Friday, May 12, 2017. Agencies, businesses, clubs and other civic organizations are invited to participate in this year’s celebration by purchasing booth space for the following categories: food and drinks (water/ coconut juice in a nut), game booths, retail (arts, and crafts, toys etc.), and information. Booth applications forms must be submitted by Friday, May 5, 2017, by 4pm. Note, however, that booth spaces are limited so applications should be submitted as soon as possible. The booth fee is $150 for all commercial vendors but for student clubs and nonprofit organizations, booth fees are $75. For more information, contact Queanna Sablan at 237-6809 or email queanna.sablan@marianas.edu. (NMC)

Register now for Chamber’s Corporate Challenge
The 17th annual Corporate Challenge will be held on May 28, 2017, at the Minatchom Atdao Pavilion in Susupe. The Saipan Chamber of Commerce is inviting Chamber member businesses to join in the competition to win the title of Corporate Challenge champions. The Chamber is now accepting company team registrations. Space is limited to the first registered teams. The deadline for registration will be on Friday, May 19, 2017, at 5pm. To register now, or for more information, call 234-7150 or e-mail administrator@saipanchamber.com for more information or visit www.saipanchamber.com. (PR)

Participants sought in research
Those who participated in the Pacific STAR Center for Young Writers project in 2006 are being invited to take part in a research project conducted by a CNMI resident Jennifer Furey Maratita.  In 2006, young writers were asked to contribute to a book, titled We Drank Our Tears: Memories of the Battles for Saipan and Tinian as Told by Our Elders (Tuten-Puckett, 2004). Maratita’s research questions will focus on the understanding of the impact this project had and its relevance in your life nowadays.  The impacts of shared narratives across generations in the CNMI are of special concern.  For more information, email Maratita at jennifer.maratita@waldenu.edu or call/text (670) 483-3879. (PR)