Page 16 - May 2004 • Southern California Gaming Guide

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAMING GUIDE
The Tribal Spirit of Giving (Continued)
American Red Cross Honors Morongo Band of Mission Indians as a “Community Hero”
The Morongo Band of Mission Indians was honored by the Riverside County Chapter of American Red Cross for their generosity on April 21, 2004 at a fund-raising event that bene ted the Red Cross Youth program.
e Riverside County Chapter of the American Red Cross recognized the Morongo Band of Mission Indians for their unprecedented gift of $1,000,000—the largest charitable gift in the tribe’s history. In addition to their nancial support, the Morongo tribe is being recognized as a “Community Hero” for their generosity and nancial support of note-worthy charitable organizations throughout Southern California.
e $1 million gift is also the largest charitable gift ever received by the Riverside County Chapter of the
American Red Cross since chartered in 1917.
“ is is a major event for both the Riverside County Chapter of the American Red Cross and the Morongo Band of Mission Indians,” said Riverside American Red Cross ceo Pamela Anderson. “ e Community Hero presentation to the tribe highlights the tribe’s commitment to communities and people especially during the California wild res, which destroyed 3,500 homes and left 33,000 people homeless. ese victims
stayed in Red Cross shelters throughout southern California.”
e Morongo Band of Mission Indians has given to the Riverside County Chapter of the American Red Cross twice prior to the presentation of the million- dollar gift. e tribe underwrote a mass-care and feeding vehicle, and following September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the tribe donated money to the Riverside chapter to underwrite the cost of sending 25 Red Cross disaster workers to New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.
e Morongo tribe has also been generous in providing support throughout the region,” said Anderson. “Gifts of nancial and in-kind support by the tribe are given to hundreds of non-pro t and charitable groups annually including organizations like Shelter from the Storm for Battered Women; Child Help USA, Cabazon Volunteer Fire Department; Sun Lakes Charities, Walter’s Children’s Charity Classic; Big Brothers/Big Sisters, AIDS Assistance
Program, City of Banning, City of Beaumont, Los Angeles Mission; Little Leagues, and the YMCA. We are very proud to honor them for their generosity and
commitment to their neighboring communities.”
Page 16 May 2004
Tribes in the News (Continued)