(Northern Marianas Sports Association) — Fundraising efforts for Team Marianas, which will be compete in the 2024 Micronesian Games in the Marshall Islands, are ongoing and NMI athletes and officials are grateful for the strong support they are receiving from the community.
For nearly a month now, community members shopping at Joeten stores have also been donating money to Team Marianas. The funds will be used for the NMI delegation’s travel costs to the Marshall Islands, which will be hosting this year’s Micro Games from June 15 to 24. Team Marianas members have witnessed the community’s generosity as they volunteered for the “Celebrity Bagging” events at Joeten stores and assisted shoppers.
“Participating in the bagging event and in these fundraising initiatives is a rewarding experience for us,” NMI National Basketball Team member Preston Basa said. “It provided us with a unique opportunity to engage directly with our community and garner their support. It allowed us to interact with customers at a personal level, share our passion for basketball, and express our sincere appreciation for their support. These initiatives highlight the significance of community involvement in supporting our national athletes,” Basa added.
Basketball, athletics, weightlifting, swimming, va’a, and tennis athletes and officials along with members of the Northern Marianas Sports Association board have participated in the “Celebrity Bagging” program. Representatives of softball and wrestling will have their turn this weekend.
Joeten Daidai Foundation Executive Director Patty Palacios said the experience was remarkable.
“Team Marianas’ participation in the Celebrity Bagging event at Joeten stores was not only about helping customers bag groceries, but also about personalizing the shopping experience,” she said. “The event gave shoppers the opportunity to meet the athletes that will be benefiting from all the funds raised for Team Marianas. It is a personal and significant gesture for athletes to ask for a donation on behalf of themselves and their teammates. The sense of camaraderie and ‘one team’ resonated beyond the counters and showed a community coming together for a greater purpose,” Palacios said.
Pride and unity
That experience, according to Basa, is not only instrumental in raising funds for Team Marianas’ participation in the Micro Games, but also in fostering a sense of unity and pride among the member federations, the NMSA, and the community.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to give back and strengthen our bonds with the wonderful people of our community,” Basa said.
Mikky Kautz, another member of the NMI National Basketball Team, said the fundraising initiative gave her squad a platform to introduce themselves to those who are not familiar with the program. Kautz also recognized the challenge in raising funds at these trying times, but she and the team are deeply grateful to everyone that still stepped up and provided help.
Swimmers Justin Ma and Sari Barman also believe that the fundraising efforts helped them connect with the community. They said they had a great learning experience assisting shoppers and greeting and thanking them for supporting Team Marianas.
Antonette Labausa, who will represent the NMI in weightlifting for the third straight year, said the fundraiser and the bagging program at Joeten brought awareness to the community about the upcoming Micronesian Games and showcased NMI athletes in a positive light to the public.
“On behalf of the athletes of the weightlifting team, we would like to express our gratitude to the community for their donations and to Joeten for this opportunity to raise funds for the Micro Games,” Labausa said.
Team Marianas Chef De Mission Valerie Hofschneider acknowledged the commitment of the athletes and officials and their respective national federations not only to their training and preparations for the Micro Game but also to the fundraising efforts.
“We’re all in this together, sharing responsibility to be able to participate in the 2024 Micronesian Games, represent the NMI well, and bring honor to our beloved islands,” Hofschneider said.
