Thunder Valley tribe rewards groups, schools

By Art Campos -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT

Two nonprofit agencies in Placer County will receive $50,000 from the philanthropic branch of the United Auburn Indian Community. The recipients are the Placer Land Trust, which tries to preserve natural lands, and the Assistance League of Greater Placer, operator of a program that supplies needy children with clothing.

They are two of 12 agencies, programs or schools that will share a $250,000 pool of charitable contributions from the tribe's Community Giving Program.

The tribe owns Thunder Valley Casino near Lincoln.

Casino profits have allowed the tribe to establish a program in which it donates $1 million annually to nonprofit groups, service organizations and schools. Grants totaling $250,000 are given quarterly.

Jeff Darlington, executive director of Placer Land Trust, said his group will use its $50,000 grant toward the purchase of 650 acres of wildlands in an area known as Giant Gap near Alta.

Darlington said the trust will turn the acreage over to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for preservation.

"Some of the benefits of the project are that the public will get access to the (north fork of the American River) for recreational purposes," he said.

Mary Ellen Oliveira, president of the Assistance League of Greater Placer, said her group will be able to expand its Operation School Bell program.

In the effort, the league provides shoes and clothing to needy children from Lincoln to Kings Beach, Oliveira said.

"We are contracted to supply 100 (pairs of) children's shoes or snow boots," she said. "Now we can expand that number, and we can use the rest of the money in many other ways."

Other grant recipients were Sierra College's Roseville Gateway campus and PRIDE Industries. Each received $30,000.

Placer Independent Resource Services received $20,700; the Lincoln Arts and Cultural Foundation got $12,000; the Todd Valley Miwok-Maidu Cultural Foundation and the Gold Country Toy Run received $10,000 each; and the American Legion War Memorial Fund was given $6,550.

Three schools received grants. They are Rocklin Elementary School, $14,750; Skyridge Elementary, $8,000; and Roseville Community School, $8,000.

Jessica Tavares, chairwoman of the United Auburn Indian Community's tribal council, said it was "an honor" to give money to organizations committed to educating, inspiring or supporting the community.

"Those affiliated with these groups are to be commended for their generous gifts of time, dedication and heart," she said in a news release.