MINA is Light in the Eve’s beneficiary

The Light in the Eve Foundation has once again pulled off another night of glitz and glamour to raise funds for another worthwhile cause during this year’s Pineapple Ball “Glamour Under the Sea.”

The event, which drew the interest of over a hundred people, held an auction to help generate funds for the Mariana Islands Nature Alliance at the Giovanni’s Restaurant, Hyatt Regency Saipan Saturday evening.

Light in the Eve Foundation president Theresa Kim said the event was dedicated to the parts of the islands that are being destroyed and to educate the CNMI to preserve those parts that remain pristine.

“It is for that reason that the Light in the Eve Foundation is excited to raise funds for this worthwhile cause,” Kim said.

MINA chairwoman Fran Castro said that proceeds received from the event will go to this year’s Teacher Education Camp.

Last summer, MINA trained 20 teachers and introduced them the basics of Coral Reef Ecology.

As a result of that, 40 lesson plans were produced and 20 future plans were brought back to school in the Fall of last year, just in time for the International Year of the Coral Reef celebration.

Castro said that at least 2,000 students were educated based on the teacher camp and that there is hope for this year to train 20 more teachers to bring back what they’ve learned about coral reefs into the classrooms.

MINA is a community-based, non-profit organization formed by a group of people dedicated to the conservation of the natural resources of the CNMI. It is composed of nine board members and at least a 100 active volunteers.

Castro said, “On behalf of MINA, I’d like to thank the Light in the Eve Foundation for choosing MINA as beneficiary of this year’s proceeds.”

This year is the sixth anniversary of the Light in the Eve Foundation that was created in 2003 with the mission to help the islands’ non-profit groups achieve their goals in bettering the lives of resident of the CNMI.

Since its inception, the Pineapple Ball has raised over $40,000 for the Marianas March Against Cancer, Karidat’s Guam Esperansa House of Hope, the CNMI Humanities Council’s Mother Father Read Program, Connecting Families Inc., Micronesian Legal Services, and the CNMI Diabetes Coalition.

Kim said that the Light in the Eve Foundation would like to extend its gratitude and appreciation to all of its sponsors and guests “who believe in our mission of giving hope and creating possibilities by supporting us year after year.”

Sponsors of this year’s Pineapple Ball includes Shell Marianas, Sablan Topline Co., Marianas Pacific Distributors, Pena House Boutique, Younis Art Studio, Hyatt Regency Saipan, Marianas High School Productions, Duty Free Shoppers Galleria, Joeten Enterprises, PTI International, Gold’s Gym Saipan, and Juanny’s Hair Salon.