Page 33 - September 2008 • Southern California Gaming Guide

September 2008 Tribes in the News
TBarona Keeps Meals on Wheels Rolling in San Diego
“We are very grateful to receive this donation from Barona,” said William A. Burzynski, Board Chair, Meals-on-Wheels Greater San Diego, Inc. “In this time of high gas prices, increased food costs and fewer community donations, this wonderful contribution will allow Meals on Wheels to o set some of the escalated costs involved in the delivery of hot meals to our seniors in need.”
e mission of Meals-on-Wheels Greater San Diego Inc. is to support the independence and well being of seniors. is mission is accomplished through the delivery of nutritious meals to those who are unable to meet their own daily nutritional needs. e average age of a Meals-on-Wheels recipient is 80 and about 84% are considered low-income. Meals-on-Wheels home delivers two meals a day, seven days a week, including special diets, to seniors age 60 and over, throughout San Diego County. For more information, visit www.meals-on-wheels.org.
TSan Manuel Band Donates $100,000 for Hunger Relief
he ripple e ect of escalating gas prices has had a dramatic impact on San Diego’s Meals on Wheels, which relies on volunteers to deliver nutritious meals to seniors throughout San Diego County. Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino provided some relief on August
19th, in the form of a 4,000 gallon tanker of gas given to Meals on Wheels, kicking o its September Barona Tanker-A-Day Great Gas Giveaway promotion.
“ e work that Meals on Wheels does for seniors in our community is really inspiring,” said Barona Tribal Vice Chairman Charles “Beaver” Curo as Barona’s gas tanker rolled up to Meals on Wheels’ Old Town headquarters. “So when we realized how much they were being impacted by the rising gas prices, it was natural for Barona to donate this rst tanker of gas to
Meals on Wheels.”
Tanker-A-Day won’t create convoys of trucks
rumbling in and out of the serene Barona Valley. But from September 1st through September 27th Barona is giving a lucky winner 4,000 gallons of gas each day.
And in addition to the Tanker-A-Day promotion, the Great Gas Game gives players, via daily drawings, the chance to win $50 gas cards, $250 gas cards or even a year’s worth of free gasoline (valued at $200 per month for 12 months).
Barona expects to give away more than 160,000 gallons, over $800,000 worth of gas, as part of the Tanker-A-Day Great Gas Giveaway promotion. But
the donation, the equivalent of $20,000 worth of gas, was especially gratifying for Barona because it will allow Meals on Wheels to deliver over 72,000 meals into the homes of San Diego seniors in need.
he San Manuel Band of Mission Indians donated $100,000 to the Second rough this partnership with Second Harvest, the Tribe has an opportunity to Harvest Food Bank of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, which provides impact countless other groups in our community.”
food to the region’s needy. e Tribe presented the funds to the organization Second Harvest is a chapter of the national nonpro t America’s Second Harvest,
at the First Annual 2008 Summer Challenge Food Drive hosted by the Inland Empire 66ers at San Bernardino Arrowhead Credit Union Park on August 1st. e event, hosted by the Inland Empire 66ers, took place during the third inning of the baseball game between the 66ers and the High Desert Mavericks. e donation came at a time when rising gas and food prices plus the subprime mortgage crisis have left many people struggling to make ends meet.
“By providing these funds to Second Harvest, the tribe hopes to help countless other organizations that may not have access to funds or foodstu s,” said Tribal
the largest charitable food distribution program in the country. Nationally, it handles about 2 billion pounds of food each year. e San Bernardino-Riverside county chapter is the 24th largest in the country. In operation since 1980, it has distributed over 300 million pounds of donated food, and currently works with a network of 440 charitable agencies who serve over 250,000 people each month who are in need. It provides food resources to emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, residential programs including victims of domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, group homes, and day care centers for children and seniors.
Vice Chairwoman Lynn Valbuena. “ is gift does not only bene t one group.
Celebrate Native American Traditions and Culture at September Pow-Wows
Southern Californians have an opportunity to join the celebrations of three Native American pow-wows during September. All year round, thousands of Indians and visitors travel the pow-wow circuit in Native American settings across the country. Annual pow-wows celebrate Native American culture with singing, dancing and drumming contests, games, delicious food and arts and crafts sales.
Get ready for an incredible spectacle and the welcoming spirit of Southern California Indian tribes. All pow-wows are open to the public and admission is free. ere may be a parking fee. Bring chairs and prepare for the sun and heat. And please ask permission before you take any photos of Tribal members in their regalia.
On Friday, September 5th to Sunday, September 7th the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation Traditional Gathering & 19th Annual Pow- Wow takes place at the Sycuan Reservation in El Cajon. Gourd dancing and singing contests attract tribes from all of the country. Arts and crafts sales
and great food are not to be missed. Call 619-445- 7776 for more information or visit www.sycuan.com. On September 19th to 21st the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians presents the 12th Annual Inter-Tribal
Powwow at the Soboba Casino grounds in Anza. e Powwow includes peon games, singing, dancing and drumming contests and o ers free camping and swimming. Call 951-654-2765 for schedule and more
information.
And on September 26th to 28th don’t miss the
Morongo Band of Mission Indians 18th Annual Thunder & Lightning Powwow, with the biggest bird singing contest in America. During the three- day event, spectators will see dancers in full regalia, representing hundreds of tribal nations from across the United States and Canada compete for more than $260,000 in prize money in singing, dancing and drumming contests. Don’t miss the Indian Market. e Powwow is on the Powwow Grounds behind the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, in Cabazon, near Palm Springs. Call 800-252-4499 x23800 for schedule and more information.
September 2008
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAMING GUIDE
Page 33
Southern California Tribes in the News