Hello, Everyone!

Every year, one of Beautify CNMI!'s premier partners--PDM Promoters, Inc.--invites schools to participate in the Tree-Decorating Contest at the Paseo de Marianas using recycled materials. This has become a *favorite* annual event and we are grateful to the nice folks at PDM Promoters for the generous opportunity it grants the schools to raise funds (prize money) for their school activities.

As part of the on-going holiday festivities, PDM Promoters also invites the public to the JUMBO Christmas Tree Ribbon Decoration. Tie a ribbon on the tree to represent your favorite cause. Of course, don't forget to include a green ribbon or two to represent Beautify CNMI! and the other environmental groups. Thank you! Everyone is welcome to participate in this. Please see below for details. Arigato Gozaimasu, Olomwaay and Si Yu'us Ma'ase, PDM Promoters!

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A new Jumbo Christmas tree is up at Paseo de Marianas...It will be ready for visitors there to tie ribbons of their choice with their wishes written thereon, beginning on this coming week's Street Market night on Thursday, December 1. The lighting ceremony program begins at 5:30 p.m. on that evening.

We have once again prepared ribbons as listed below (with the names of the supporting organizations in the past years):

Green - for environmentalists' causes (Mariana Island Nature Alliance (MINA), DEQ and Beautify CNMI!)
Pink - cancer prevention awareness (Commonwealth Cancer Society)
Blue - autism awareness (Autism Society of the CNMI)
Yellow - "Support Our Troops" (Operation CNMI Homefront Support)
Orange - "For Brighter Future of Our Children" (Luta Cares)
Red - for general purposes
See also last year's report attached.

Those who like to make brief appeals for their causes on behalf of their organizations at the lighting ceremony to the gathering audience, please advise me.

Thank you for your usual understanding and cooperation.

horiguchi.
(volunteer advisor to PDM Promoters, Inc., a CNMI non-profit corporation)
tel: 234-2067
fax: 234-7530
cell: 287-9233

PDM Promoters, Inc. (purposes):
To provide for and act as a forum or an avenue for the promotion, coordination and/or collaboration of collective activities by the businesses located on the Paseo de Marianas pedestrian mall, Puntan Muchot, Garapan, Saipan, and any other locations in the CNMI designated by the Board of Directors from time to time, all within the confines of exempt purposes in order to lessen the burdens of the government, lessen neighborhood tensions and/or combating community deterioration and juvenile delinquency, as set forth in NMTIT Section 501(c)(3) .

4th of July Parade Clean Up - nearly 20,000 lbs of trash!

Getting ready to set off on our second annual post-parade cleanup, a few of the volunteers stop for photo at STaR Water parking lot. Others joined the cleanup along the way making the event a total success! All in all we figure their were about 25 volunteers more than doubling last year's numbers.

Founding member Cinta Kaipat organizing with other volunteers as we all waited for the parade to get moving.

Abe "Utu" Malae and Capt Robert Lorenz from the CUC set out as we begin to move.

Several volunteers set out down the beach path. Keeping garbage out of our lagoon goes a long way towards preventing future marine debris.

And we are off! Everyone is excited to see how many total pounds of trash will be collected along the parade route.



MINA's Kathy Yuknavage is the project manager for a marine debris prevention project. Under her direction, MINA has placed nine recycling and mixed waste bins at a number of Saipan beaches and parks over the last several months. A grant from NOAA provides funding for this project.

Long time supporter and former Beautify CNMI! award winner Ken Kramer joined in the clean up.

Heidi Yelin and Bryan Jones collecting trash from parade watchers and campers.

Laurie Peterka donated her truck and time to help out again this year passing out over 200 garbage bags, many gloves and hauling a number of bags back to the waste bin at STaR Water.

DEQ staff helped distribute supplies and interacted with parade watchers asking them to help dispose of their trash properly.

DEQ's Max Simian drove one of the two trucks pulling trash collection trailers and helped take full bags of trash from campers.

Both trash trailers were full by the time we finished!

Slowly making our way along the parade route. It was hot, but occassionally we found respite under the trees while still picking up trash.





As we got closer to the end of the parade route, we found more volunteers working well ahead of the trash trailers and supply trucks!





So, how much is 20,000 lbs of trash? It's kind of hard to imagine, but this full bin gives you an idea! The height of the bin is about 5-feet tall and the length is about the same as a big Ford truck.

Joe Kaipat, event organizer, is most pleased with the accomplishment of the day! Trash is now in a bin and headed for proper disposal instead of littering our beaches --- thanks to all the Saipan parade go'ers who did their part to keep our beaches clean and our island beautiful! You did an awesome job and you have contributed to keeping our island healthy...good job!

Special thanks to STaR Water for letting us use their parking lot as our launch point and their neighbors for letting us park a 20,000 lbs disposal bin in their lot. A big thanks too goes out to Artman for donating 200 garbage bags and to Saipan Ice & Water for their donation of water and ice for volunteers!

Kramis Eco-Exercise

It's never too late to say Thank you, so Thank You, Ron & Nancy!

Ron Kramis at Wing Beach

Hi Gus and Cinta:

I'm sending a picture from our Sunday, February 24th Wing Beach excursion as you requested. Most of the obvious litter was around the parking area and the picnic areas nearby, but the rest of the beach looked very good in general. It was clear that people have been taking very good care of Wing Beach.

We covered a great length of the beach and into the picnic and shaded areas adjacent to most of the beach so obviously we got a lot of old stuff along with some new. Personally I left a small bit of stuff that was being guarded by those large spiders I don't like. After two hours of hiking we only got about two large garbage bags full. Very nice to have the garbage container there.

We highly recommend this as a nice early morning weekend activity for folks------eco-exercise. Who knows where we'll strike next weekend! :)

See you soon,

Nancy

The 100th Flame Tree Planted On Saipan In 2007

Tree planters: Rep. Cinta Kaipat & family; Angelo Villagomez (BC, MINA & RC&D); Aya-san Matsumoto & Hideo-san Honda (Isa-CNMI); Friends of the Mariana Islands (FMI); Team Chura Talo; Juanita Fajardo; Little Miss Marianas 1st Runner Up Kassandra Tate Tudela Royal (not pictured but joined by Mom Bonnie & little sister Briana in making their 1st Beautify CNMI! cleanup/planting); and Dr. Daniel Lamar (who also made his cleanup/planting debut with Beautify CNMI!).

Welcome new volunteers/partners and thank you, salamat po, domo arigato, si yu'us ma'ase, and olomwaay to everyone!!!

Day 2 of the Marianas High School Painting Project. Maraming Salamat Po Friends of the Mariana Islands (FMI)!

Saturday, July 14, 2007.
Back row: Rene & Robert. Front row: FMI President Tess Castillo, Mele, Precy, Rep. Cinta Kaipat & Radino. FMI has earned the title "Beautify CNMI's Supervolunteer Group" for their outstanding volunteer work in the CNMI. This Group epitomizes the Beautify CNMI! spirit of "volunteering from the heart." Beautify CNMI! is proud to partner with FMI.
Mele wipes the sweat off her brows while Tess paints behind her.
FMI President Tess Castillo making it look easy, though it wasn't.
Dennis looks in on Rene.
Robert stirs the paint.
Rene sweated hard, but he did a great job!
Precy carefully paints the wall.

See? Even these guys are really trying their best to beautify the MHS!

Si Yu'us Ma'ase Sablan Family Volunteers!

The Sablans -- Mike, Juanita, and Adam -- Beautify CNMI!'s Supervolunteer Family, joined Rep. Cinta Kaipat and other Beautify CNMI! coalition partners on Saturday, July 14, 2007, to help paint some classrooms at MHS. This was Day 2 of the painting project.

A family that volunteers together, well . . . paints together!
Mike miticulously trying to get the tough corners.
Young Enviornmental Warrior Adam Sablan showing why he is also a winner of the 2007 Beautify CNMI! Governor's Environmental Steward recipient.

Adam's ever-present co-volunteer, Mom Juanita, with Rep. Cinta Kaipat in the background.
Dennis Cabrera of Rep. Kaipat's Office prepares the paint. Adam looks on as Juanita and Rep. Cinta Kaipat discuss the best and fastest way to get the ceiling painted.

Troops To Teachers' Eugene (in blue) looks on as Adam tries hard to reach the ceiling. Dennis pours more paint for Mike.
Juanita and Adam take a drink and breather, while Mike, Gus Kaipat & Tony Benavente, President of MHS' PTA, work those muscles.
Lei Kaipat looks on as Uncle Gus paints with his shades on to avoid dripping paint in his eyes. Meanwhile, Mike and Adam do their part, too.
Mike, Tony, Adam, Juanita, and Gus busy ignoring the camera.

Members of the fabulous Saturday crew: Beautify CNMI!, Office of Rep. Cinta Kaipat, Troops To Teachers, Adam Sablan and family, Kaipat family, and Beautify CNMI!'s Supervolunteer partners FMI (not pictured here).

Thank You Troops To Teachers!

The painting of the MHS classrooms is the second project that Troops To Teachers has undertaken with Beautify CNMI!, and I am sure it won't be the last. The Troops To Teachers Program is a unique program that Director Geri Willis started with four troops last year to give our returning servicemen and women an opportunity to earn a BA in Education and get paid a decent wage while studying and assisting in the classrooms The Pentagon is looking at our Program as a pilot program for the rest of the U.S. and elsewhere. Some intense concentration by Fred.
Roman worked up quite a sweat.
Gene worked with quiet strength. He can tie Adam for "quietest volunteer."
Gene takes a much-need breather as Adam paints, Dennis pours, and Mike readies to re-load the paint.
Roman back in action.
Fred showing he can get up high, too.
Fred and Gene work quietly in the background.
Roman Benavente, Jr. showing he's a chip off the ol' block.
THANKS, TROOPS TO TEACHERS FOR A JOB WELL DONE!