Saturday, December 25, 2010
Jamaican Blogger Award
Beautify CNMI's friend Walt Goodridge has been nominated for a Jamaican Blog Award in the category of Best Jamaican Overseas Blog for his blog, Jamaican in China. Please take a moment out of your otherwise busy schedule to help Walt. Visit the Jamaican Blog Award website and vote for Jamaican in China.
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
PDM Promoter's - Christmas Trees, Ribbons & Recycling
Incredible activity at the Paseo de Marianas last Thursday (12/2) night as the Christmas Tree project is in full swing. Students from various schools par-taking in the contest to decorate trees with recycled materials. The winners will be announced on December 16th.
Then there was the Jumbo Tree Lighting and Ribbon tying ceremony. Different colored ribbons represent different causes or charities. Beautify CNMI! and partners are represented by Green Ribbons. After a brief introduction at the main stage, we took our buckets of ribbons to a cental table where anyone who wanted to write a message on a ribbon and tie it to the tree could do so.
In fact, if you missed the opening event, you can still visit Kinpachi Ice Cream shop any time to request a ribbon to tie on the tree!
Beautify CNMI!'s Laurie Peterka with PDM Promoter's Horiguchi-san - comrades in in supporting all efforts to help inspire the all peoples of the CNMI to take care of our beautiful island and each other!
Monday, December 06, 2010
Anthology Deadline Next Wednesday
Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands – There is one week remaining for local writers to put the finishing touches on their short stories, poems, and essays before the deadline to submit writing for the upcoming anthology of Mariana writers, Stories from Wild Bill’s: Life, Love, and Spicy Tofu.
According to Wild Bill’s editor Angelo Villagomez, “This is an opportunity for local writers to get published and have their work be available to an international audience.”
Villagomez added, “Our goal is to showcase local talent and in doing so tell some great stories.”
The deadline to submit is Wednesday, December 15, 2010. Submissions will be blind reviewed by a panel of editors and writers chosen for publication will receive two copies of the printed book. The first edition is scheduled for a Spring 2011 publication.
Please refer questions to Villagomez at wildbillstories@gmail.com.
According to Wild Bill’s editor Angelo Villagomez, “This is an opportunity for local writers to get published and have their work be available to an international audience.”
Villagomez added, “Our goal is to showcase local talent and in doing so tell some great stories.”
The deadline to submit is Wednesday, December 15, 2010. Submissions will be blind reviewed by a panel of editors and writers chosen for publication will receive two copies of the printed book. The first edition is scheduled for a Spring 2011 publication.
Please refer questions to Villagomez at wildbillstories@gmail.com.
Sunday, December 05, 2010
Considering a partner opportunity - Marianas Resource Conservation and Development Council
Let us start off this post with a reminder of the mission of Beautify CNMI!, which was developed by coalition partners over the last five or so years:
It is important from time to time to remind ourselves of this sentence, because it has the power to refocus our attention to what is important. We want to use the statement in principle as much as we use it as a philosophy.
To this end, at last week's year-end meeting, a few Beautify CNMI! partners discussed the potential value in setting up Affiliate Partner Agreements with Marianas Resource Conservation and Development Council. The purpose of doing something like this is to utilize one partner's (MRCDC) capabilities to the benefit of the whole coalition. In essence, MRCDC is an affiliate partner just like any other. As with any affiliate partner, each brings a unique value to the Beautify CNMI! concept. MRCDC is the partner that could potentially provide administrative support to facilitate the total effort of all our efforts. The concept still has some kinks and requires further discussion, but looks something like this. We break it down into two perspectives to try to convey the idea (see below).
Another way to look at it would be like this:
In this concept, MRDCD becomes an affiliate partner with the rest of the Beautify CNMI! family. Using MRDCD as an administrative service/servant, allows the whole Beautify CNMI! concept retain its "loose coalition" style of getting things done in the CNMI. Creating the Affiliate Partner Agreements is not intended to place any one affiliate above any other affiliate or to suggest anyone group has more ownership or control than another. The purpose is administrative. The value is in how the administrative services can benefit both the Beautify CNMI! concept as a whole and as individual partner can benefit for their specific projects or groups.
Some of the benefits include:
Beautify CNMI! is a coalition of concerned citizens, private groups, and government entities united to enhance the CNMI's natural beauty and foster community pride in its residents and visitors.
It is important from time to time to remind ourselves of this sentence, because it has the power to refocus our attention to what is important. We want to use the statement in principle as much as we use it as a philosophy.
To this end, at last week's year-end meeting, a few Beautify CNMI! partners discussed the potential value in setting up Affiliate Partner Agreements with Marianas Resource Conservation and Development Council. The purpose of doing something like this is to utilize one partner's (MRCDC) capabilities to the benefit of the whole coalition. In essence, MRCDC is an affiliate partner just like any other. As with any affiliate partner, each brings a unique value to the Beautify CNMI! concept. MRCDC is the partner that could potentially provide administrative support to facilitate the total effort of all our efforts. The concept still has some kinks and requires further discussion, but looks something like this. We break it down into two perspectives to try to convey the idea (see below).
Another way to look at it would be like this:
In this concept, MRDCD becomes an affiliate partner with the rest of the Beautify CNMI! family. Using MRDCD as an administrative service/servant, allows the whole Beautify CNMI! concept retain its "loose coalition" style of getting things done in the CNMI. Creating the Affiliate Partner Agreements is not intended to place any one affiliate above any other affiliate or to suggest anyone group has more ownership or control than another. The purpose is administrative. The value is in how the administrative services can benefit both the Beautify CNMI! concept as a whole and as individual partner can benefit for their specific projects or groups.
Some of the benefits include:
- Cooperative assistance from Marianas Resource Conservation & Development Council for any project that fits into the mission and scope of the Council. Assistance may include, but is not necessarily limited to:
- Grant application guidance
- Grant applicant-beneficiary collaboration
- Grant administrative services
- Fiscal agent services (accepting and processing donations)
- Acknowledgment & exposure:
- Inclusion on MRCDC website Partner page
- One independent standard template page on MRCDC website
- Priority consideration for project assistance
- An annual report on the status of all logged volunteer hours
Perhaps not so coincidentally, one of the original coalition members and founders (Angelo Villagomez) used to work under contract for MRCDC. Perhaps he will read this post and contribute to the discussion here on this blog. Otherwise, the discussion on ground for this idea will continue in the next MRCDC meeting scheduled for Monday, December 13th. MRCDC's Saipan Committee meetings are loose-working meeting (not formal) where ideas can be brain-stormed or hashed out in a cooperative and friendly environment. If you are interested in attending or interested to learn more about the above idea, please email marianas.rcdc@gmail.com. Everyone is welcome!
Thursday, December 02, 2010
Meeting Reminder! Tonight at 5:30pm
The highlight of this meeting is to present the opportunity to sign an MOU with Marianas RC&D that would create a partnership mutually beneficial to all Beautify CNMI! partners. We want your input!
For additional meeting information, please refer to the original blog post for this meeting.
See you tonight!
For additional meeting information, please refer to the original blog post for this meeting.
See you tonight!
You're All Invited to the Tree-Lighting Ceremony Tonight
HAPPY HOLIDAYS, Beautifyers!
Please come to the tree-lighting ceremony led by PDM Promoters at the Paseo de Marianas tonight, Thursday, Dec. 2, at the Paseo de Marianas. You will get a chance to pin different color ribbons representing different worthy causes on the giant tree. Beautify CNMI!'s color is GREEN, so let's show everyone our GREEN Beautify CNMI! spirit! Other GREEN-ribbon coalition partners, such as DEQ, MINA, FMI, and others, will also be there. So, come one, come all. This is an annual event that's not to be missed. So, all you Beautifyers out there -- come out and join us!
But, don't just stop at the color GREEN (even if it's our favorite color), show your support by pinning the other different color ribbons on the tree, too!
Also, we'll have fun watching the school children decorate their trees! This has become a much-anticipated fun tradition!
Ceremonies will start at 7 p.m. and the ribbon-pinning ceremony will follow shortly after.
So, bring friends and family and see you all there!
Please come to the tree-lighting ceremony led by PDM Promoters at the Paseo de Marianas tonight, Thursday, Dec. 2, at the Paseo de Marianas. You will get a chance to pin different color ribbons representing different worthy causes on the giant tree. Beautify CNMI!'s color is GREEN, so let's show everyone our GREEN Beautify CNMI! spirit! Other GREEN-ribbon coalition partners, such as DEQ, MINA, FMI, and others, will also be there. So, come one, come all. This is an annual event that's not to be missed. So, all you Beautifyers out there -- come out and join us!
But, don't just stop at the color GREEN (even if it's our favorite color), show your support by pinning the other different color ribbons on the tree, too!
Also, we'll have fun watching the school children decorate their trees! This has become a much-anticipated fun tradition!
Ceremonies will start at 7 p.m. and the ribbon-pinning ceremony will follow shortly after.
So, bring friends and family and see you all there!
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
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