Weekly Email Update: September 16

Hafa Adai,

I hope every stayed safe and dry over the typhoon-induced long weekend. My neighborhood lost a pair of Flame Trees, but other than that Choi Wan just brought a lot of rain.

Beautify CNMI gets back to work this weekend with the International Coastal Cleanup being led by Division of Environmental Quality and 13 other volunteer groups that have adopted a beach for cleanup this Saturday morning. We also have support from IT&E which is providing t-shirts for volunteers and Bridge Capital, which provided garbage bags and gloves for six months back in June.

So far there are over 420 participants signed up and it is not too late for you to join. You can show up at one of the other scheduled cleanups or you can adopt your own beach. There are still plenty of beaches available (http://beautifycnmi.blogspot.com/2009/09/weekly-email-update-september-10.html).

If you would like to RSVP on Facebook, here is the link:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=117280403750.

A list of all participants can be found here:

http://beautifycnmi.blogspot.com/2009/09/international-coastal-cleanup-day.html

Thanks,

Angelo

Weekly Email Update: September 10

Hafa Adai,

A few events of note:

(1) Posted below is a list of beaches up for adoption for the International Coastal Cleanup Day next Saturday, September 19, 2009. Beaches that are crossed out have been adopted by a group. That does not mean that you can't help out with that beach! Many hands make light work. I've adopted Tank Beach along with the rest of the Rotary Club. I'd love to have you help us out. However, we are trying to cover as many beaches as possible so we are asking volunteers to help us adopt the other beaches, too.

As you can see from the number of crossed out names, we are set to have another very successful event. Garbage bags and gloves will be available at the DEQ office next week. There number is 664 8500. Ask for Joe or Lisa.

DEQ staff will properly dispose of all trash collected. Setting a place and time for them to come pick it up is part of the sign up sheet.

If you would like to RSVP on Facebook, here is the link:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=117280403750

(2) The ISK8 Club is hosting a graffiti cleanup of their skatepark this Saturday September 12. from 4:00 - 6:00 PM. The contact on that is Laurie Peterka at 483 7499. Again, to RSVP on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=128714528715

(3) The meeting minutes from last week's meeting are posted online:

http://beautifycnmi.blogspot.com/2009/09/draft-september-meeting-minutes.html


Thanks and have a great weekend,

Angelo



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Lisa Huynh Eller
Date: Thu, Sep 10, 2009 at 7:47 AM
Subject: available cleanup sites
To: Olivia Tebuteb , carlosk@deq.gov.mp, Fran Castro , "Joe M. Kaipat" , Angelo Villagomez


Hi everyone,



Please forward this list to anyone interested in signing up. The taken sites are crossed out. Everything else is open:



SAIPAN:

Wing Beach

Forbidden Island Beach

Bird Island Beach

Obyan Beach

Ladder Beach

Tank Beach

Marine Beach

Dandan Pocket Beaches

North Laolao Beach (Dive Site)

South Laolao Beach (Pavilion)

Old Man by the Sea Beach

Jeffries Beach

Agingan Point to PIC

Micro Beach (Hyatt to Smiling Cove)

Tanapag Beach

Makaka Beach (Fiesta Resort to Hafa Adai Hotel)

Coral Ocean Point

Sugar Dock heading South

Lally 4

Sugar Dock heading north to Grand Hotel

Kilili Beach

Quartermaster south to MVA

Quartermaster north to 13 Fishermen

13 Fishermen to Garapan Fishing Base

Garapan Fishing Base

Garapan Fishing Base to Hafa Adai Hotel

Paupau Beach

San Roque Beach

Cow Town Beach



TINIAN:

Long Beach



Thanks,



Lisa Huynh Eller

Federal Programs Outreach and Publications Coordinator

CNMI Division of Environmental Quality

Phone: (670) 664-8500

Fax: (670) 664-8540

lisaeller@deq.gov.mp






--
Angelo O'Connor Villagomez
Beautify CNMI

PMB 360 BOX 10001
Saipan, MP 96950

(670) 285-6462
http://www.beautifycnmi.org

Get your Donkey shirt today!
http://www.cafepress.com/saipandonkey

Committee to Elect Angelo O'Connor Villagomez
http://www.angelovillagomez.com

Weekly Email Update: August 27

Hafa Adai,

This week's email isn't much different from last week's. We continue to sign volunteers up for next month's CNMI International Coastal Cleanup Day. We are looking for volunteer groups to adopt a stretch of beach for cleanup on Saturday, September 19, 2009. You set the time of your cleanup and organize your own volunteers, and we'll provide supplies and garbage pickup. The supplies were donated by Bridge Capital and will be available for pickup the week before the event and DEQ staff will haul all trash collected to the transfer station for weighing and proper disposal.

If you participated in April's Island Wide Cleanup, you know how this works. Email me for a sign up sheet.

There is also a fundraiser being held at PIC this weekend for PAWS and Beautify CNMI. PIC Palooza has an 80's theme and includes food and drink for $25. It should be a really good time and we'll raise money for two great organizations. Tickets are available from PIC or from me (help me out, I'm supposed to sell 20!).

I hope to see you there!

Angelo

PS I gave away about 10 of the 50 donated Flame Trees to one of the local schools. If somebody could help me move the remaining trees from Capital Hill to someplace where we can plant them, we could plant them on Saturday or Sunday morning. I have one shovel and fertilizer.

Weekly Email Update: June 19

Hafa Adai,

Thanks again to all the sponsors and participants of the Boonie Dog Show!

The fun continues tomorrow at PIC where for one day only a one-day water park pass is $10. All funds for the day will be donated to PAWS to help them find homes for abandoned animals.

As for cleanups this weekend....

THERE AREN'T ANY!!!

Happy Father's Day,

Angelo

Weekly Email Update: June 10

Hafa Adai,

We have several events, meetings, and cleanups scheduled for this weekend.

First off, we have two meetings tomorrow. The Restoration Committee will be meeting at 1 PM at DEQ to plan a Laulau Revegetation Planting day, similar to the planting days we had in 2006. All are welcome to attend.

Also tomorrow, PAWS and Animal Welfare Committee will have their final logistics meeting for this weekend's Boonie Dog Show. We will meet at Oleai Bar & Grill at NOON and 5 PM. You need only come to one meeting if you are going to volunteer. We had a last minute breakdown of the generator and microphone we were going to use. If anyone has one we can borrow or rent, please let me know ASAP.

The Boonie Dog Show, PAWS WARS Episode 3: Revenge of the Boonie is this Saturday from 4-6 PM. Bring your dog and the whole family for a great show. Drinks will be available for sale and I recommend bringing blankets and chairs.

Finally, there are two cleanups scheduled for the weekend. Both are being led by Friends of the Mariana Islands:

2nd Saturday of the month
ISA Drive (from Botanical Garden to Airport Road)
Start at 8:00am it ends up till the volunteer works is all done

2nd Sunday of the month
Garapan Tourist District
Time: 8:00am to 10:00am

Thanks for all you do and I hope to see you at one of this weekend's events!

Angelo

I need a vacation

Hafa Adai Everyone,

Pictures and anecdotes from these weekend can be found on our website, www.beautifycnmi.com.

Our cleanup with Hopwood was featured on KSPN on Friday night. The video can be found on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckOHW-y1hww

I will be taking a long vacation starting this weekend. I will be off island and will return in approximately 6 weeks.

It rained on Sunday, so we were not able to finish painting the lighthouse. Dr. Khorram has most of the supplies at his house should some one want to take the lead on this project while I am away. If not, we'll finish it when I get back. The exterior still needs a final coat of paint, but the graffiti is pretty much gone.

The other Beautify CNMI Committee chairs are going to take over the duties that I currently have, including coordinating volunteer activities, updating the website, sending out emails, notifying the press, keeping track of donations, and so on. I will give them the email list and they will take over from there.

Angelo

I won't be on Saipan for my birthday, which is October 5, so we are going to do something this Saturday. I'm not going to announce where we will be on this email list, but I'll post the details on The Saipan Blog. All are invited. I'm going to be 29...one more year until I am officially "old."

Angelo's Weekly Update

Are you on the Beautify CNMI mailing list?

Every Monday morning I send out a summary of the weekend's activites. On Thursdays I send out the upcoming weekend's activities. If there is a meeting on a particular day, I send out a meeting reminder.

If you are not on the list and you would like to be, please email Angelo at angelovillagomez at gmail dot com.

Here is my update from this morning:

Good Monday Morning,

We had several successful events over the weekend.

On Friday, we announced the winners of the Photo Contest to raise awareness of the Micronesia Challenge and over 30 people participated in a public forum discussing Marine Protected Areas and Coral Reefs. On Saturday, the members of the Student Action for a Viable Environment clubs cleaned up the beach in Chalan Kanoa and one of the pocket beaches in Dandan. On Sunday, Friends of the Mariana Islands cleaned up Dandan Road. The Lion's Club was also out this weekend cleaning up their adopted spot along Beach Road (sorry, I forgot if that was Saturday or Sunday).

There will be a Parks & Trails meeting this Thursday at 1 PM. The meeting is in the USDA Conference Room, on the first floor of the DY Buidling in Garapan on Beach Road. If you have questions, please contact Ken Kramer, RC&D Coordinator, at 236-0893.

This Saturday we should be planting the last of our Flame Trees...I just don't know where yet.

This Sunday we will be in the Garapan Tourist District. Our cleanup meets at the AMP Parking lot and begins at 8 AM.

Have a great week!

Angelo

Allow me to give you an update

Beautify CNMI! continues to be as busy as ever, even if I don't have time to update every single one of our activities on this blog. We continue to have our weekly cleanups on Sunday mornings and sometimes on Saturday mornings; we have started planting trees, so far we have planted 115 Coconuts and 13 Flame Trees; we held a Summer Camp for 15 students; continue to support the Family Fun Night in Koblerville every Friday; cleaned up the lighthouse; had a public meeting concerning turtle conservation; and continue to look for ways to improve the welfare of our pets through proper pet care and veterinary services.

The Fourth of July was a day on, not a day off. About 20 volunteers met up at the Navy Hill Lighthouse for a cleanup.

Then over the weekend we had several cleanups.

On Saturday, Friends of the Mariana Islands led a cleanup of the Garapan Tourist District while DEQ led a cleanup of Pau Pau Beach.

On Sunday, Friends of the Mariana Islands also led a cleanup of Isa Drive, from Java Joe's all the way up to the Botanical Gardens.

We also managed to have some fun this weekend. A group of Beautify CNMI volunteers went night snorkeling in the hopes of seeing the annual coral spawning. We also had a BBQ on July 4th up at the Lighthouse and a goodbye BBQ for Steve and Miwa Nguyen on Sunday.

Super Ultra Mega Update

It has been a while since I reported on our activities. I have to apologize. Beautify CNMI! came roaring out of the gates in 2007. I can barely keep up with our events, never mind take the time to post pictures of them afterwards.

The weekend before last was very busy.

On Saturday, January 13, we had a bus stop painting planned, but our good intentions were thwarted by rain. Doh!

On Sunday, January 14, MOVER led another cleanup of the road between Northern Marianas College and San Vicente Elementary.

Monday, January 15 was "a day on, not a day off." In the spirit of the inaugural celebration of Martin Luther King Day in the CNMI, Willie Brundidge of Mozell's Boys led a beach cleanup of Makaka Beach in Garapan. Volunteers from MINA, Rep. Kaipat's office and family, Rep. Waki's office, and MOVER picked up trash on the beach.

On Thursday, January 18, the Restoration Committee had their first meeting of 2007. Super huge thanks to Ruth Tighe for taking notes. I will compile them and post them here...soon.

This past weekend was busy as well.

MINA sponsored their first cleanup of Mina drive on Saturday morning, January 20. 25 Volunteers from the village of As Matuis, CNMI Forestry, Aqua Resort/ISA CNMI, Vice-Speaker Quitugua's Office, and Rep. Taman's office joined the MINA members to clear sword grass and plant 20 Da'ok trees along the road. For the rest of 2007, MINA will alternate between restoring Wing Beach and Mina Drive on the third Saturday of each month.

While MINA cleaned Mina Drive, MOVER cleaned Isa Drive in San Vicente. They removed litter from the road between San Vicente Elementary and the San Vicente Post Office. They piled the trash next to the bus stop near Laulau Bay Rd and volunteers from Rep. Kaipat's office picked it up on Monday and took it to the transfer station.

Sunday morning, January 21, was Laulau Beach Day. The Red Cross is restoring the BBQ pala palas along South Laulau Beach. They are replacing the roofs, installing some benches, rebuilding the BBQ pits, and applying fresh paint.

While the Red Cross worked on South Laulau, about 40 volunteers led by MOVER removed trash from North Laulau. MOVER was joined by volunteers from MINA, Pacific Eagle/ISA CNMI, Saipan International School, and Mike Tripp Productions.

I'll have an update of our Earth Team Volunteer numbers...soon.

I think that's about it. Did I miss anybody? I am notorious for misspelling "thier" and forgetting all of the people who attending our cleanups (like when I forgot to mention that David Cohen came to one of our cleanups). I'm trying to be better. Apologies in advance.

We have several events planned for this upcoming weekend. I will post them on our calendar as soon as I remember what they are.