COMMUNITY BRIEFS – MAY 9, 2017

Weightlifting Federation meeting set

The CNMI Weightlifting Federation will hold a meeting on Saturday, May 13, starting at 1pm at the NMPASI conference room. All weightlifters and persons interested in supporting the sport of weightlifting in the CNMI are invited. We will be discussing upcoming competitions and fundraising. (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)

Storyboard 16 to Launch May 12

MANGILAO, Guam—The 16TH issue of the University of Guam’s literary journal Storyboard features a wonderful collection of poetry, prose and visual art exploring the unique identity, culture and history of the people of Guam and the greater Micronesian region. The University of Guam Press and the UOG Division of English and Applied Linguistics will launch the journal on Friday, May 12, from 6m to 7:30pm in the atrium of the UOG English and Communications building.
An editorial board of UOG faculty members reviewed 143 submissions and selected 25 pieces. Many of the writers and artists featured in Storyboard 16 will be present at the launch to share and discuss their work. The current and past issues of Storyboard will also be available for sale. (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)

NMC extends deadline to obtain a Charter Day booth 

Northern Marianas College is inviting vendors to take part in the college’s 36th annual Charter Day celebration on Friday, May 12, 2017. The deadline to submit booth applications as been extended to Wednesday May 10, 2017. Booth applications forms must be submitted by Friday, May 10, 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. Applications forms are available for download at www.marianas.edu, or can be picked up from the NMC CDI Office. (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)

Call for historical papers

The Northern Marianas Humanities Council, University of Guam, Northern Marianas College, and Guampedia are calling for papers for the 3rd Marianas History Conference. The conference will be held on Saipan on Sept. 1-3, 2017, at a venue to be announced later. The deadline for abstracts is April 28, 2017. Conference presenters will be allotted 20 minutes to present. For more information about the conference, contact council staff at 235-4785 or visit the council’s website at: www.northernmarianashumanities.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, across the U.S. Post Office in Chalan Kanoa. Gathering time starts at 5:30pm with the official beginning time at 6pm. (PR)