Chamber to host fun run for education

In New York they call it the Wall Street Rat Race. In Saipan it will be called the Saipan Chamber of Commerce 5K Corporate Challenge. The Commonwealth’s largest business organization will hold this foot race to raise money for educational scholarships on Aug. 11, 2000 beginning at 5:15 p.m. in Garapan.

The Chamber’s goal is to raise money for its Educational Scholarship Fund, which last year gave away $4,000 in scholarship money.

“The Chamber wants to create an opportunity for students to compete for educational scholarships and for parents to know that there is a business source for scholarships for their hard-working children,” said Chamber vice president and Events Committee chair Tony Mosley.

According to Chamber president Lyn Knight, “This is an important goal for us and this event will compliment other Chamber projects that are underway to positively affect the education of members of the Saipan community. We’d love to see business managers and their staff come out and run or walk with their colleagues and participate in a fun and motivational team activity. This event is designed to keep the ‘fun’ in fundraising.”

The race will begin at the American Memorial Park Amphitheater parking lot. The race course will wind through Garapan and then head back into the American Memorial Park ending again at the amphitheater parking lot.

To accommodate the event, roads in Garapan will be closed from 5:00 p.m. and will re-open in the Garapan area at approximately 5:45 p.m. The road along the Hyatt to Micro beach will remain closed on one side, the side along the American Memorial Park so that the race participants can complete the race.

“We understand that the road closure might cause a few minor inconveniences, but the roads will be closed only for a short time, time enough to make a difference in a child’s educational future, and that is more than worth it,” Mr. Mosley said.

Chamber members who have generously donated to the Educational Fund, and who will also be providing prizes include the Hyatt Regency Hotel, SGMA, Pacific Islands Club, HSBC, GTE Pacifica/MTC, and PacifiCare Asia-Pacific.

The Chamber office is giving away attractive insulated bottle carriers with shoulder straps, and race volunteers also will receive tee-shirts donated by SGMA.

The Saipan Chamber of Commerce would like to invite everyone in the Saipan community over the age of 18 to participate in this fundraising event. For more information or to sign up, call the Saipan Chamber of Commerce office at 233-7150 or come by the office in the Family Building in Garapan (across from Bank of Saipan) and pick up a registration form.