Binhi at Ani Elects Board of Directors for 2021-22

At Binhi at Ani’s recent annual meeting, Melen Agcolicol, owner of Copy Services, was re-elected as President and Michelle Balala, educator at Kahului Elementary School, was elected as Vice President.

“I am pleased to continue to lead Binhi at Ani’s Board of Directors and work with an excellent team,” Agcolicol said.  “Like other individuals, businesses and nonprofits, the pandemic wreaked havoc in Binhi at Ani’s day-to-day life.  But we have weathered the storm for now and on top of that, we created new programs to serve the community such as the Bayanihan Food Distribution and the Bayanihan Feeding Program. Our motto of ‘Promoting the Bayanihan Spirit’ that was adopted in 1985 is still important today.”

Binhi at Ani’s other elected officers are : Jaycel Pardo, educator at Kahului Elementary School, as Recording Secretary; Michelle Santos, Office Operations Assistant for the Office of the Mayor, as Corresponding Secretary; Madelyne Pascua, business manager at Christ the King Church, as Treasurer; and Rose Balmores, client manager at Maui Bookkeeping, as Auditor.

The elected directors are:

• Arnel Alvarez, Guest Services at Grand Wailea Resort and a Radio Disc Jockey at KMPW
• Nora Cabanilla-Takushi, a retired educator and a Front Desk/Reservations Agent at The Plantation Inn
• Donnie Dadiz, a Beach and Pool Supervisor at Fairmont Kealani
• Chelsea Guzman, a Registered Nurse at Maui Memorial Medical Center
• Rochelle Mendoza, General Manager of Maui Furniture Gallery
• Marilyn Oura, a retired Housing Specialist with the County of Maui Housing Division
• Mark Paranada, a retired Fire Captain with the Maui Fire Department
• Lawrence Pascua, Principal Consultant at Studio Creative Associates.

The Board of Directors will be installed by Maui County Mayor Michael Victorino on July 3 during The Seed and Harvest Dinner at Binhi at Ani Filipino Community Center, which is sold out.  Binhi at Ani’s 21 scholarship recipients also will be formally introduced.

Binhi at Ani, which means “Seed and Harvest” is a Hawaii non-profit corporation incorporated in 1985.  Its purpose is to provide scholarships, promote mutual respect and understanding among peoples of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, promote good citizenship and cultural awareness, and promote the general welfare.  The Binhi at Ani Filipino Community Center located at 780 Onehee Avenue in Kahului opened in 2005 and is the site of the Annual Barrio Fiesta, celebrated on Maui for the past 51 years.