|
The Oldest
Guam Club in the United States
The Guam Society of America Inc.
Founded:
The Society was established on April 3, 1952, as the Guam Territorial Society of
Washington, DC, a membership society under the Congressional Charter of the
National Conference of State Societies (NCSS). The Society was incorporated on
October 13, 1976, as a nonprofit corporation under the District of Columbia
Nonprofit Corporation Act, and the name was changed to the Guam Society of
America on July 3, 1986.
The Society has remained and shall continue
to be a member society of the NCSS. The Society is a member-run
organization, wherein all major decisions are made by the membership at large
rather than by a board of trustees.
Mission: The Guam Society of
America, Inc. is to promote the culture and traditions of Guam, the native
language of the indigenous people of Guam (Chamorro), and the welfare of Guam
and the Guamanian people. The Society shall support and sponsor educational,
cultural and social programs that foster its mission. The Society shall provide
humanitarian aid (1) to victims of natural disasters and (2) for the relief of
the poor, the distressed or the underprivileged.
Purposes: To foster and
encourage educational, cultural and social programs (to include promotion of the
Chamorro language and other traditions), among the members and friends of the
Society and to provide humanitarian aid; To establish and maintain a
scholarship program; To foster and perpetuate its aims in the District of
Columbia and surrounding communities and wherever appropriate opportunities may
arise throughout the United States and its territories.
Officers:
Officers are nominated and elected by members. Their tenure in office is from
January 1st to December 31st. They are the President, Vice-President,
Treasurer and Secretary. Any member who is in good standing for a year may run
for Office.
Membership: The membership
consists of Chamorros, their families and friends from all over the United
States and Guam.
Events and Activities:
All activities are done annually in which, there are over nine events and
activities that the GSA sponsors. First: to start off the year, is the
Close Up (students from Guam visiting the
Federal Government) March; Cherry Blossom Ball
(to crown the GSA Ms. Guam Representative); Memorial Day
Picnic held in May; Congressional
Laying of the Wreath and Liberation Day
Picnic held in July; Robert L.G. Lizama
Golf Classic and the Golf Classic
Fiesta held in August; Labor Day Picnic
held in August or September; Chamorro Night
held in October and the Christmas Party
held in December. These events have been going on for over 52 years,
Chamorros and their friends bonding and just having fun like in Guam. Besides
the yearly events and activities, the GSA supports the Office of the
Representative of Guam, and the Governor of Guam in their events. We provide
Chamorro Dishes and Chamorro Spirits.
GSA Members: Members of the GSA
are staunch supporters to the Society. They are back every year and are
awaiting impatiently for the first event and sad towards the end. But, it’s all done over again the following year. The Society gives the
Chamorros the opportunity to meet their friends and families (sometimes not
seeing them for many years) again and again. The Taotaotano Spirit
of the people in the Society is staunched and
steadfast, they make sacrifices for each other and they go out of their way, to
make their guests fill welcome. They may not be physically in Guam, but Guam is
always with them. GSA Members are Proud to Belong and they have proven their
proud-ness year after year.
Past Presidents of GSA:
Our Heritage Gives Life to Our Spirit
By Terri Guevara Smith
GSA 2003 and 2004 President
|
