by Andrew Roberto
Variety News Staff
WHEN the Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan opens its Hibiscus Hall today at 6:30 p.m. for the sold-out Mariana Islands Nature Alliance’s Green Gala, the islands will be celebrating two decades of conservation, environmental stewardship, and the building of local capacity to take care of the CNMI’s land and sea.
This is an event the islands looks forward to, according to MINA’s program director Becky Furey.
“Every year, the Green Gala is MINA’s signature fundraising event,” she said. “It’s been deemed the social event of the year. The majority of the time it’s held at Crowne Plaza Resort—like this year—and every year we sell out,” she said.
This year the tickets went out quickly. MINA’S last table inside the Hibiscus Hall was booked on the 14th, Furey said.
Local band Da Kine, as well as DJ Rico, will be the evening’s entertainment, with cocktail hour, raffle prizes, dinner, and much more rounding out a fun-filled evening, said MINA executive director Roberta Guerrero.
MINA, a community-based nonprofit whose mission is “empowering environmental stewardship through science and island wisdom,” hosts the Green Gala to support its environmental programs: Adopt-A-Bin, Schools for Environmental Conservation, Tasi-Watch, Bring Back Our Trees, Community Recycles Plastics, and Marine Debris programs.
“It’s not easy for nonprofits to survive 20 years, and we made it,” Furey said.
Guerrero told Marianas Variety that MINA staff is staying busy this week as they finalize preparations to welcome dozens of supporters who want to see the organization continue its mission of environmental advocacy.
“Toward any kind of event like this, the organizers can’t breathe,” Guerrero jests, speaking about the pressure they’re feeling as they set up an eventful, memorable night.
“I think the Green Gala is really a chance to get together with their peers,” she added. “A lot of times in this community, we all get wrapped up in our day-to-day things, so it’s a chance to refresh, rejuvenate, and remember why we’re doing what we’re doing. It’s about being with a group of peers who are interested in the same thing, which is making sure that we keep our islands’ natural resources sustainable for our kids and grandkids.”
With 20 years of activities to celebrate, Guerrero said MINA will spend time showcasing the programmatic activities that have kept them busy, whether it is educating students about the environment at outreach events, removing debris from the lagoon post-Super Typhoon Yutu, or the workforce development MINA organizes for its Tasi-Watch Rangers.
They also will recognize MINA’s founding board members.
“It should be a lot of fun. It always is,” Guerrero said.
