North Bend, OR – The Coquille Tribal Community Fund
board of trustees announced today the fund is distributing
over $400,000 to 37 community organizations in four Southwest
Oregon counties.
The Coquille Indian Tribe established the community fund
in 2001 as a way to share profits from The Mill Casino • Hotel
with community organizations. Since its inception, the
fund has distributed over $835,000 to the region's charitable
efforts.
"On behalf of the Coquille Indian Tribe, I am very
pleased that our community fund was able to nearly double
its contributions to so many worthy organizations," said
Ed Metcalf, Tribal Council chairman. "With this year's
level of donations, the Tribe's commitment to the betterment
of our neighboring communities is stronger than ever.
This year's donations range from $1,000 to the Port Orford
Arts Council for its Honors Ceremony and Run to the Rogue,
to a $100,000 donation to the City of Coos Bay for completion
of a sewer line under the bay. The donation to the city
represents the largest single donation in the fund's four-year
history.
"Our funding decisions reflect the wide diversity of needs
and interests in our communities," said Michele Burnette,
chair of the fund's board of trustees. "We sought to couple
our support of many short-term, immediate projects with
the need to contribute to the long-term economic interests
of our region."
The contribution to the City of Coos Bay will help fund
the installation of a sewer line under the bay to the North
Spit. City officials consider the project essential to
the development of the area for business and industrial
uses.
"Running a sewer line under the bay is another step in
connecting to the growth potential that lies on the North
Spit," said Jeffrey McKeown, city council president. "This
development project has been a cooperative effort for the
city, the International Port of Coos Bay and the Coos County
Urban Renewal Agency."
"It is gratifying to see that the Coquille Tribal Community
Fund shares in this vision for community and economic development
and is stepping forward in support of this goal," McKeown
added. "This is a project that will thrive by creating
partnerships throughout the community."
The Coquille Tribal Community Fund supports non-profit
and governmental organizations with projects in the areas
of education, health, public safety, problem gaming, environmental
issues, arts and culture and historic preservation. Funds,
derived from a percentage of revenues from The Mill Casino • Hotel,
are managed and distributed by a board of trustees comprised
of community leaders and representatives of the Coquille
Indian Tribe and the Coquille Economic Development Corporation.
The fund reflects the commitment of the Coquille Indian
Tribe to take a proactive, positive role in the well-being
of the community. Collectively, the Tribe is the second-largest
employer in Coos County, and, through CEDCO, manages The
Mill Casino • Hotel along with business ventures
in assisted living, organic cranberry farming and high-speed
telecommunications.
For organizations wishing to be considered for 2005 funding,
the deadline for applications is Aug. 31. For more information,
contact the fund at communityfund@cedco.net.
The following organizations received funds this year.
- Barview Area Charleston Area Parks Association - for
a pole building on the ball field.
- Bay Area Rotary Club - for
the Shots for Tiny Tots program.
- CASA of Coos County - to
support programs for CASA volunteers.
- Coquille Indian
Tribe Changing Landscapes - for Changing
Landscapes, Vol. 4.
- Coquille Indian Tribe Education Program - for
the Summer Education Program.
- Coquille Indian Tribe Wrap
Around Child Care - for
care and education for Tribal children.
- Coos Art Museum - for
building upgrades.
- City of Coos Bay - for a sewer line
under the bay.
- Coos County Historical Museum - to digitize
their records.
- Ecumenical Emergency Food Cupboard - to
purchase food.
- Florence Food Share - to increase food
distribution.
- Lane County Community College - toward
building the community long house.
- Lane County Legal
Aid - for the Rural Outreach Project.
- Little Theatre
on the Bay, Inc. - for building improvements.
- Lower Umpqua
Community Center - for a commercial range.
- Millicoma
Booster Club - for playground equipment.
- Myrtle Point
Lions Club - for a toyshop for underprivileged
children.
- Nancy Devereux Center - for four individual
classes.
- Neighbor to Neighbor - for mediation services.
- North
Bend High School Stadium Committee - to complete
restrooms, etc.
- North Bend Senior Center - to replace the
floor in the common areas.
- Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing
Foundation - for regional
visits by the Mobile Health Screening Unit.
- Port Orford
Arts Council - for the Honor Ceremony and
Run to the Rogue.
- Powers School District - for the hot
lunch program.
- Powers Veterans of Foreign Wars - for
repairs to the VFW Hall.
- Shorebank Enterprise Pacific - for
the second phase of the North Bend storefronts project.
- South
Coast Alano Club - to upgrade the meeting facility.
- South
Coast Basketweavers Association - to publish
From the Hands of the Weaver.
- Star of Hope - for a bottle
washer.
- Start Making a Reader Today (SMART) - for books
for Coos Bay and North Bend schools.
- Southwest Oregon
Community Action Committee - for a
refrigerated truck to transport food.
- THE House - for
new mattresses and boards.
- Triangle Food Box - for a
new delivery truck.
- Umpqua Discovery Center - for cultural
and natural history programs.
- Waterfall Clinic - for
lab equipment for school health services.
- Women's Safety
and Resource Center - for evening workshops.
- Zonta Service
Foundation - for school supplies for
the Little Red Schoolhouse.
- Umpqua Discovery Center - for cultural and natural
history programs.
- Waterfall Clinic - for lab equipment for school health
services.
- Women's
Safety and Resource Center - for evening workshops.
- Zonta Service Foundation - for school supplies for
the Little Red Schoolhouse.
