COMMUNITY BRIEFS

VISMINDA’S RAFFLE DRAW TODAY

The coronation and raffle draw of the Visayas Mindanao Association’s “Mrs. VISMINDA 2005” will be held today, July 2, 2005

For the coronation night’s entrance/dinner tickets, contact any Visminda officers at (670) 322-0691 or (670)234-6529 [available after office hours].

‘DINNER WITH MAN’AMKO’ RESET TO JULY

The fundraising “Dinner with the Man’Amko” has been rescheduled from June 17, 2005 to July 22, 2005 but due to availability of the Garapan Central Park, the fundraising has been moved to July 23, 2005, from 6pm to 10pm.

MHS CLASS OF 1995 TO HOLD REUNION

The reunion committee of Marianas High School Class of 1995 would like to invite the school’s alumni of 1995 to a reunion celebration on July 9, 2005 at Charley’s Cabaret, Pacific Islands Club.

Doors will open at 6:30pm and entrance fee costs $25 per person. A Family Fun Day picnic will follow the next day at the Minachom Atdao pavilion in Oleai.

For inquiries, donations, or suggestions for the reunion, please send email to reunioncommittee_95@hotmail.com. (PR)

Booths available for 2005 Summer Festival

The Carolinian Affairs Office, in collaboration with the Chamolinian Cultural Village, is proud to announce the 2005 Summer Festival, which will be held from July 6 until Aug. 30, 2005, at the Chamolinian Cultural Village ground in Garapan. Booths are available to any nonprofit organization interested to raise fund during the festival.

For more information, stop by or call the Carolinian Affairs Office at 234-6383 to 2346385.

TOLL FREE PHONE SERVICE FOR VETERANS

The regional office of the Honolulu Veterans Administration announced Saturday that veterans throughout the U.S. territories in the Pacific—the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and American Samoa—and the island of Oahu in Hawaii will be able to dial the national benefits toll-free number, 1-800-827-1000, to obtain general benefits information and the status of benefit payments.

The number will also enable veterans residing on Oahu, Guam, American Samoa, and the CNMI, to access the wide range of benefits information that is available on the national menu. Neighbor island veterans in Hawaii have had access to this national toll-free number for years.

The new number is expected to be operational on July 1, 2005. Medical appointments at the Honolulu VA Medical Center can still be arranged toll-free from most areas by dialing 1-800-214-1306.

Other frequently called toll-free numbers that are available to veterans are:

• VA Education Program 888-442-4551
• Home Loan Eligibility 888-487-1970
• VA Life Insurance 800-669-8477
• VA Health Enrollment 877-222-8387
• CHAMPVA 800-733-8387
• Gulf War or Agent Orange 800-749-8387