Joey Marie Alforque-Warren Mrs. Wisconsin Earth 2020

Mrs. Wisconsin Earth 2020, Joey Marie Alforque-Warren, grew up in the Philippines. At an early age, she has learned the importance of our Earth’s resources and the necessity to preserve, as well as consume and enjoy them as well, thus exposing her in understanding the impact of human activities vis a vis the environment and the climate.
Her awareness towards the environment and climate became more apparent as she develops into adulthood. She proudly says, “My early appreciation for our natural resources and my later awakening to the threats to them have given me a deep passion for my love of nature. When I joined the Miss Earth Organization, its mission ‘to spread Environmental Awareness,’ appealed to me. As an active delegate under the Mrs. Division, I am very pleased to have this opportunity to share with you my achievements and community services. “
Joey was 1st Runner-up at the 2018 Eco Warrior Design and Model Competition in Madison, Wisconsin, designing and creating clothing from recycled materials. She was awarded Mrs. Congeniality Earth USA in 2019 during the national competition in Washington, D.C., as well as winner and 2019 Designer of the Year at the Eco Fashion Design and Competition in Madison, Wisconsin. She received a commendation letter from Wisconsin State Governor, Tony Evers, for her ongoing efforts toward sustainability in her communities. The Governor added “that the work she does has contributed to a valuable foundation of individual activism and service that should inspire further actions by those around her.”
On February 14-21, 2020, Joey volunteered in the Beauties For a Cause Official mission to Puerto Rico. Along with other honored delegates and in partnership with Para La Naturaleza, a non-profit organization and local volunteers, they planted 270 native trees to replace what was damaged by hurricane Maria. They cleaned up the trails leading to the tower of Mt. Britton, which was a 5-mile hike and has an elevation of over 3-thousand feet above sea level. When they reached the summit, they were treated with a magnificent view of the El Yunque Tropical Rainforest, the only rainforest in the US territory. They also learned about the biodiversity and the conservation of its natural ecosystems; had opportunity to swim in the bay with the glowing planktons; and met with local residents, enjoying their company, their delicacies and immersion in the Puerto Rican culture.
Back in Wisconsin on May 23, 2020, she volunteered in the beautification of the Veterans War Memorial Park in South Milwaukee where she met other volunteers that have the same passion in the beautification of the community. As for her community service as the reigning Mrs. Wisconsin Earth, she spearheaded a tree-planting event in the summer of 2019 and planted 35 native trees in the Town of Waterford in Racine and Lake Mills in Jefferson County. She did flower planting with children in Wood Dale, Illinois in September, 2019 and just this summer she, once again, created a nature event by inviting her family, friends, neighbors and the community on the “Rooting For The Future” tree planting project to benefit the young and the new generation. It was her intention to educate the children to understand the importance of the trees and their impacts on the planet. Trees are very much a life source as they provide the most essential elements that every living creature needs to breath: life-giving oxygen.
This was followed by another nature project when she invited Miss Great Lakes Earth to partake in the preparation for her “Rooting For The Future-Part 2” on July 11, 2020. They dug and repotted plants to hand out to their guests during the Invitational Garden Tour and Perennial Giveaway to “Spread the Blooms.” Everyone was inspired with Joey’s advocacy to plant in any way they can to help reduce the carbon footprint on this earth. “These plants will continue to bloom and give joy year after year while cleaning the atmosphere,” she concluded.
She had the privilege to share her environmental story over social media in an interview on “Global Inspiration” with host Janette Jordee. The positive feedback from viewers was very encouraging! Additional feathers in her cap are the following: National Winner for 2020 Beauties for a Cause; Gold Medal for Think Global Act Local Community Projects, and Bronze Medal for Patriotic Sisterhood Attire.
Due to the huge impact of the Covid Pandemic and shortage of PPE’s and masks, Joey was inclined to put her fashion design talent to sewing masks for her loved ones, friends and co-workers as well as the staff and residents of the senior facility in her town. Even friends from out of state, as far as New York, Illinois and Iowa, have clamored for her beautifully hand-made masks.
Here’s Mrs. Earth Wisconsin Joey Alforque-Warren has to impart to VT readers and to the wider communities out there: “Continuing global warming is likely to produce more pandemics, perhaps even more destructive than COVID-19. Tree planting taps into one of the most pressing and fundamental issues of our time. Anything we can do to stem the progress and reduce the impact is vital. Trees clean the atmosphere by sequestering carbon dioxide and providing essential, life-giving oxygen. There are almost 330 million people in the United States and 7.8 Billion worldwide. We can achieve great accomplishments if we all work hand in hand. Let us do this to give the new generation a chance for a better, cleaner environment where they can live, grow and prosper. Therefore, I ask each and every one to plant at least one tree in her/his lifetime and make a difference. Let us all work together to reduce our carbon footprint and combat global warming, one tree at a time!”###