Micronesian Legal Services is Pineapple Ball’s beneficiary

The Micronesian Legal Services is this year’s beneficiary of the upcoming Light in the Eve’s Pineapple Ball, which will be held in the month of hearts.

Light in the Eve held a news briefing yesterday morning at the Giovanni’s Italian Restaurant of the Hyatt Regency Saipan. The group also invited representatives and officers of the MLS, led by director attorney Jane Mack and staff attorney Vicky Taitano. MLS executive director Benjamin Tured also attended the briefing.

Dubbed this year as “Second Chance Prom,” the Pineapple Ball will be held on Feb. 11, from 6:30pm to 10pm, also at the Giovanni’s Italian Restaurant of the Hyatt Regency Saipan.

Light in the Eve president Michelle Lin said the event aims to raise funds for the non-profit legal service agency so it could continue providing assistance to indigent community members.

Light in the Eve chair Laila Y. Boyer said the event would be the first time a non-profit organization would lend support to another non-profit organization. Last year, Light in the Eve donated proceeds of the event to the CNMI’s Connecting Families.

Lin said the organization selected MLS based on its application last year. The group believes that the legal service agency deserves the help this time.

Mack said the agency is grateful to the event organizer for choosing them as this year’s beneficiary. She said the donation would tremendously help them in assisting the needy in the CNMI.

She said the office needs a lot of improvement and the money they would get would hopefully allow them to purchase necessary materials and equipment.

“Most of our work is still done manually,” Mach said, adding that they hope to get a case management system for the office.

Some previous employees reportedly call the MLS office on Saipan “Dinosaur Land.” With the help of the donation, Mack is hoping to update the software that is so essential to helping process the cases of poor people in the Commonwealth.

MLS executive director Tured said the office is partly funded by the local government; the rest comes from the generosity of the community.

Lin is inviting the public to support the Pineapple Ball this year. Tickets are sold for $60 for individuals and $100 for a couple. She said the public would not only help MLS but they would also enjoy the excellent food and open bar at the venue. She said there would also be an auction during the event.

Boyer said they themed the event “prom night” to give a second chance to those who missed their prom nights when they were in high schools, “Also to relive the experience for those who had their chance,” she added.