The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians announced its end-of-year 2 percent contributions, and where they'll go this year, and the list is a long one, topping out at $1.5 million total for the year.
Each fall since 1993, the larger of two annual 2 percent donations is disbursed to support community agencies and groups like police and fire agencies, libraries, schools, recreation areas and programs, and universities. The
Sault Tribe makes the money available to seven U.P. counties in the eastern U.P., while other tribes do the same in the western U.P. The funding gets its name from its source; it's 2 percent of slot revenues from tribal casinos in the region. Groups or agencies apply to the tribe for funding requests, and tribal officials choose which programs to grant the money to.
“The 2 percent money we give to our communities help so many people--from providing money to help law enforcement and other first responders, computers for schools, after school programs, city upgrades--it’s just great to see,” says Sault Tribe Chairman Joe Eitrem.
Among the top recipients for the end of 2011 were the Soo I-500 Project, which received $33,941; the Soo Township Elementary School Build a Dream program, which was awarded $15,000; Mathias Township, which received $13,941 to upgrade its water system tank and the Big Bay De Noc School District, which got $10,915 for an interactive classroom program.
Others were the Aging for Outreach and ALTRAN programs in Munising; the U.P. Children's Museum in Marquette; Gladstone Area Schools for a culture enhancement program and Chippewa County for a spay and neuter program.
The 2 percent funds also go toward long-term funding commitments the tribe has made to local governments, such as $191,271 to the city of Sault Ste. Marie for general governmental services, $30,000 to the city of St. Ignace to fund Mackinaw Straits Hospital's dialysis services; $52,275 to Lake Superior State University, and many other contributions to the budgets of local schools, law enforcement agencies, foster care programs, snowmobile trail grooming, road improvements, and educational programs.
Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Joe Eitrem, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
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