2014 MICRONESIA GAMES ORGANIZING COMMITEE RECEIVES CHALLENGE FROM GOVERNOR EHSA

Photo and article by Jim Tobin, FSM National Olympic Committee

Pohnpei State Governor John Ehsa officially welcomed the members of the Pohnpei Organizing Committee for the 2014 Micronesia Games at a meeting held on Wednesday, September 4, at the new FSMNOC conference room in Kolonia.  Governor Ehsa thanked all the organizing committee members and asked them to be dedicated and work hard to ensure that Pohnpei will host a wonderful Micro Games that tops the very well done 7^th Micro-Games in Palau in 2010.  The 8^th Micronesia Games will be held on Pohnpei from July 20-29, 2014 with the program including the sports of Athletics (track and field), Baseball, Basketball, Fast-Pitch Softball, Wrestling, Weightlifting, Table Tennis, Tennis, Micronesia All-Around, Spear Fishing, Outrigger Canoe (Va’a), Swimming, Volleyball and possibly men’s Soccer.

After the welcome remarks by Governor Ehsa, the Pohnpei Organizing Committee Chairman, Lt. Governor Marcelo Peterson opened the first meeting and discussed the goals and objectives of the organizing committee.  He introduced Bob Spegal who assisted with Pohnpei’s 2002 Games, and Bob reviewed and discussed the roles and responsibilities of the 11 Sub-Committees.  The sub-committees and chairpersons are:  Accommodation and Transportation (Joseph Villazon and Pressler Martin); Accreditation and Results (Lestly Mendiola and Herold Ocampo); Finance and Fund Raising (Andrew Joseph; Catering (Bernolina Hedson); Media/Broadcast/Internet/Website (Darsy Augustine and Gordon Segal); Medical (Paulino Rosario); Program Booklet (Stephanie Edward); Protocol (Lululeen Santos and Trevane Ehsiel); Security (Kerley Aracely), Sports (Jim Tobin); and Venue and Maintenance (Ricky Lebehn).  The sub-committee chairs are to recruit additional committee members and finalize budgets in the next two weeks. It was agreed, that at this point, monthly meetings will be held for the Organizing Committee for the 2014 Games.  Meeting may adhere to a more frequent schedule in the future.