Operation CNMI Homefront Support

Operation CNMI Homefront Support is asking the community to provide their coalition with the names and addresses of local men and women currently serving our armed forces who will be away from home for the holidays. Their goal is to send a care package to all local military personnel who will be away from the islands this holiday season.

"This program was really well received by our troops last year and we want to let them know that we appreciate them and miss them," said John Hirsh of American Red Cross, "especially during the holiday season."

This is the second consecutive year Operation CNMI Homefront Support has organized care packages for our men and women in uniform on active duty. Care packages from last year included locally printed t-shirts, newspapers, magazines, food, and letters from loved ones.

"What we really need right now is for local families to give us the names and addresses of their loved ones serving in the military," said Candice Dunston of the American Red Cross. "We need donations, of course, but our first priority is to identify the soldiers, sailors, pilots, and marines to receive a care package."

Rotary Club of Saipan Director of Community Service Angelo O'Connor Villagomez added, "we're looking to send a care package to every one of our hometown heroes who is off defending our country, whether they be in Iraq, Afghanistan, South Korea or the United States."

Operation CNMI Homefront Support is sponsored by the American Red Cross, Marianas Cable Vision, and Rotary Club of Saipan. Names and addresses can be forwarded to Candice Dunston at homefrontsupport@nmi.redcross.org. Contact the Red Cross Chapter for additional information 234-3459.

Draft Subcommittee Meeting Minutes for Oct 5th

Beautify CNMI Subcommittee Meeting
Monday, October 5, 2009 - 5:30pm
Whispering Palm School, Navy Hill

“Operation Paint Over --- What do we want to do about/with graffiti in our community?”

Present: Laurie Peterka, Tyler Yoshimoto

Agenda/Objectives:
1. Sign in and introductions
2. Minutes and Agenda
a. Review/adopt meeting minutes from prior meeting (see attached; a limited number of paper copies will be available at meeting).
i. Tyler motioned to accept
ii. Laurie seconded
b. Review/adopt this meeting’s agenda
i. Tyler motioned to accept
ii. Laurie seconded
3. Welcome any new ideas and/or new participants – N/A
4. Emails to share (if any)
a. Anonymous donor suggested project(s)
i. Create a advertising/contest to promote awareness about graffiti
ii. Consider a poster awareness program targeted tourists
iii. Need to brainstorm further and discuss more at next meeting
iv. Probably something to consider after the initial photo journal project is complete
b. Penny Hofschneider - Invite public and private schools to form Beautify CNMI clubs and ask them to adopt a specific area in their vicinity that is often targeted.
c. Jim Arenovski for Crime Stoppers (CS) – will bring back materials from CS regional conference regarding youth and graffiti
d. Frank Camacho – been tied up but will be back for next meeting
e. Frica Pangelinan – will share her materials on the Mural Arts Program- Our City, Our Wall, Our Stories, Voices of Community at our next meeting.
f. Joannie Dubrall – coordinating with NMC students to help with photo journal project.
g. Rose Smith for Ladera Int’l School – will have her students help with photo journaling.
h. Thelma Cabrera – will make a report at next meeting regarding her contact with PSS principals.
5. Progress reports on
a. Photo journal project (Tyler & Laurie)
i. Discussed PPT layout
ii. Need to remind Angelo re project for 10/19 mtg
iii. List for villages is slowly filling in
iv. NMC students will likely join the photo journal project
b. HANMI Survey (Laurie & Shirata) – no progress
c. PSS Communications (Thelma) – tabled to next meeting
6. Consider next steps:
a. Bringing in hardware store managers (Ace Hardware, Guangdong, Do It Best, YCO, Transamerica)
i. Need a project leader
ii. Table to next meeting
iii. Discussed what the buy-in looks like and what the expected results could be if GM’s agree to setting specific policies about the purchase of spray paint (or maybe even regular paint)
iv. Need to see who else sells spray paint (i.e. office supply stores and craft stores)
v. Check the phone book to make sure all stakeholders are identified
b. Project leaders
i. Need hardware store idea leader
ii. Need photo contest/poster advertising project leader
iii. Need business-to-business outreach project (SCC Nov 1 meeting?)
c. Timelines, goals, meetings – keep or modify?
i. Continue collecting data, people through October
ii. Use November meetings to develop goals, measurable targets, and budget for 2010
iii. Take December off
iv. Restart second or third week of January 2010
7. Confirm next meeting date/time/location
a. Monday, Oct 19th, 5:30p, Whispering Palms School at Navy Hill
b. Meeting rescheduled to Monday, Oct 26th, 5:30p, Whispering Palms School at Navy Hill

The principle concept of this committee is to follow the Beautify CNMI established style of getting things done. We build a coalition, share resources where we can and support individual(s) and/or group(s) that have an action plan.

Reminder: Graffiti Subcommittee Meeting Tonight

Beautify CNMI Subcommittee Meeting
Monday, Oct 5th, 5:30pm to 7:00pm
Whispering Palms School, Navy Hill

Agenda/Objectives:
1. Sign in and introductions
2. Minutes and Agenda
a. Review/adopt meeting minutes from prior meeting (see attached; a limited number of paper copies will be available at meeting).
b. Review/adopt this meeting’s agenda
3. Welcome any new ideas and/or new participants
4. Emails to share (if any)
5. Progress reports on
a. Photo journal project (Tyler & Laurie)
b. HANMI Survey (Laurie & Shirata)
c. PSS Communications (Thelma)
6. Consider next steps:
a. Anonymous donor suggested project
b. Bringing in hardware store managers
c. Project leaders
d. Timelines, goals, meetings – keep or modify?
i. Continue collecting data, people through October
ii. Use November meetings to develop goals, measurable targets, and budget for 2010
iii. Take December off
iv. Restart second or third week of January 2010
7. Confirm next meeting date/time/location - Monday, Oct 19th, 5:30p, Whispering Palms School at Navy Hill

The principle concept of this committee is to follow the Beautify CNMI established style of getting things done. We build a coalition, share resources where we can and support individual(s) and/or group(s) that have an action plan.

Meeting Canceled Today

The Beautify CNMI October meeting scheduled for today, October 1, is canceled. Several people cannot attend. Apologies and I'll see you in November.