Page 15 - January 2004 • Southern California Gaming Guide

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAMING GUIDE
Morongo Band of Mission Indians Gives $75,000 in Christmas Donations to Local Charities andOSchoolchildren Have a Holiday to Remember
n December 19th, 271 students at the Cabazon Elementary School received an early holiday celebration when Santa Claus and helpers from the Morongo Tribe came to call.
e Morongo Band of Mission Indian volunteers gave each student a Christmas stocking stu ed with candy and fruit, a backpack brimming with school supplies and a $50 dollar grocery store gift certi cate.
e Morongo Tribe also committed more than $75,000 in holiday donations to local charities including San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital Foundation, Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital Foundation, Prison to Peace Outreach, Indian Child & Faith Preservation, Trinity Foster Care, Emmanuel Unique Outreach Partners, Morongo Faith Chapel Food Ministry, Agua Caliente Elementary School, Veronica’s Home of Mercy, Cherry Valley Brethren School, Ken Hobbs Memorial Little League, Ho er Elementary School, All Community Pantry, Mission Worship Center, Junior League of Riverside, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Debbie Chisholm Memorial Foundation, Sunnymead Middle School and Shop With A Cop Program.
“With the economy still sluggish coming into this holiday season the Morongo Outreach Committee felt
it was important to help the children of our community,” said Anne Hutton, Tribal Council Member and outreach committee chair.
This marks the second year in a row that the Morongo Tribe donated Christmas gifts to the students at CabazonElementarySchool.“TheMorongovolunteers were so excited last year to see all the children’s smiling
faces and heartfelt appreciation that we felt it was important to do it again this year,” said Hutton. “We know what it’s like to have a lean Christmas and now that we have the means to help others we believe it is important to share with our community.”
The Morongo Tribe is the largest private sector employer in the Banning-Beaumont region and a major contributor to the Coachella Valley economy. The tribe
San Manuel Band of Mission Indians SDonates $80,000 to Holiday Charities
ixteen San Bernardino County charities that had appealed to the public for help during the holidays in the San Bernardino Sun received $5,000 each from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.
e gift of $80,000 was donated to the Children’s Fund, for 9,000 more toys for abused and neglected children in the county; Catholic Charities, for 250 turkeys and hams and enough gifts for 70 special-needs teenagers; and Kids Repair Inc. in Victorville, a teen center which had been preparing to close its door due to lack of funds. e donation gives the center at least a six-month lease on life. e San Bernardino-based Arrowhead United Way also received $5,000. e other agencies included e Boys and Girls Club of San Bernardino, Desert Communities United Way in Victorville, Desert Manna homeless shelter in Barstow, Frazee Community Center in San Bernardino, High Desert Youth Center in Victorville, Home of Neighborly Services in San Bernardino, Morongo Basin United Way, Redlands Family Service Association, e Salvation Army in San Bernardino, e Salvation Army in Victorville, Samaritan’s Helping Hand in Victorville, and Tender Love-ing Christmas in Yucca Valley.
Pechanga Resort & Casino Donates $250,000 to Local Schools
T
hanks to a $250,000 donation received from Pechanga Resort & Casino on December 5th, vehighschoolsfromTemecula,LakeElsinore
and Murrieta will be able to enrich student programs, buy more sports equipment and provide additional scholarships. Each high school received $50,000.
Last year Pechanga made a similar donation and Murrieta Valley High School used its money to purchase a $14,000 softball scoreboard, pool upgrades and football helmets.
is year about $20,000 could go to athletics programs. e school has 22 sports plus cheerleading, which equates to more than 1,000 athletes.
January 2004 Page 15
Southern California Tribes in the News