Date: Friday, November 29, 2024
Place & Catering: THE CORE KITCHEN/SPACE
Participants: 120 people (including guests and volunteers)
Pro-bono support: WildTame (welcome video) / Satoshi Aoki (photos) / Nayalan Moodley (video)

With the Winter breeze bringing the festive spirit of Christmas and New Year’s to Tokyo, Mirai no Mori held its annual Winter Party last Friday, November 29th. This special event brought together 120 participants, including volunteers, board members, corporate partners, individual supporters, care workers and program graduates. Not only did we welcome those who have been a part of the Mirai no Mori journey until now, but also many first-time participants who were able to connect with our community and learn more about our mission. 

The evening began with a warm welcome from our Executive Director, and toast led by our chair. The theme of the night, Next Chapter, reflects the milestones of our first decade and the exciting journey ahead. With the growth of our backstage team, we’re gearing up to enhance both the quality and quantity of our programs. As a guide for this growth, we have established Mirai no Mori’s core values: Empowering, Embracing and Believing, reminding us of our purpose as we continue to expand. 

A highlight of the night was a heartfelt speech from Aina, a Mirai no Mori program graduate. Starting as a camper, she became a Leader-in-Training (LIT) and is now an active member of the Mirai no Mori community as a graduate. Aina shared her journey at our outdoor programs, the skills she gained, and how they’ve shaped her future plans. The event also welcomed 6 other program graduates, who mingled with attendees throughout the evening. 

To bring a piece of Mirai no Mori’s programs to the party, we set up a game booth featuring the beloved camper game: といえーば (toieba). Guests paired up to play, winning raffle tickets while enjoying a glimpse into the joy of our programs. The atmosphere was filled with Christmas music, drinks and lively conversations. The room itself was decorated with summer camp t-shirts, our annual reports, and the much-loved five-value stickers. This setup allowed guests, especially those new to Mirai no Mori, to experience what we do.

The closing ceremony started with a fun trivia game about Mirai no Mori, with the grand prize going to the lucky winner: a pair of KEEN shoes presented by Hilda Chan, the Managing Director of KEEN Japan and Board Member of Mirai no Mori. Next came the live raffle draw for the top three raffle prizes. The first, a Rafting Voucher from Mitake Race Rafting Club, connected back to one of our most popular outdoor programs. The other 2 top prizes were paintings created with love by a program graduate, inspired by her cherished Mirai no Mori memories and the Next Chapter theme.

With 35 additional prizes donated by generous sponsors, the raffle was a huge success, filling the room with smiles and excitement as winners were announced and pictures were captured.

The 2024 Winter Party was a night filled with laughter, inspiration, and connection. It was made possible by the incredible community of supporters who joined us and continue to believe in our mission. We want to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who attended and contributed to making the event so special. Your support enables us to write the next chapter of Mirai no Mori’s journey.

“The Winter Party was a great opportunity for me to talk to people I had never met before, and to understand the importance of seizing opportunities for myself. This year I made 2 paintings as raffle prizes and I was so happy to receive many compliments from not only those who won my paintings, but also many others who liked their style and message.” by graduate

“It was a very nice party that showcased the hard work of the Mirai no Mori team. We were able to see once again parts of the organization that are not visible at the outdoor programs, and meet people who are involved in the mission in different ways than myself. As a program partner, we look forward to continuing to support Mirai no Mori in the future!” by Program Partner

“The Winter Party was a night that made me want to stay in the Mirai no Mori community forever!” by office team member

“I was very moved by Aina’s speech- a program graduate that I’ve worked with a lot through Mirai no Mori. This year was my first time attending the Winter Party as a guest, and it was a wonderful opportunity for me to talk with many diverse people and to learn once again that people from all over the world support Mirai no Mori.” by KEEN staff

“It was a new experience to see the Mirai no Mori team in a city environment without children around. I was able to take my time in talking with super staff I had met at programs before, as well as others in the community that I met for the first time. I’ve joined many Mirai no Mori activities and am excited for the upcoming Christmas and winter programs!” by care worker

“As someone who is new to Mirai no Mori, it was very heartwarming to see the diversity and large number of people who are involved in the mission and care about the children’s futures. The room was filled with great energy all night!” by supporter

★Raffle prizes donated by: