Auburn tribe aids charities

By Art Campos - Bee Staff Writer Story appeared in South placer roseville section, Page N2

The United Auburn Indian Community has donated $45,000 to PEACE for Families and $40,000 to the Sierra Foothills AIDS Foundation.

The donations are part of the tribe's quarterly Community Giving Program, in which service organizations, law enforcement and schools in Placer County share awards totaling about $250,000.

The tribe, which owns and operates Thunder Valley Casino near Lincoln, gave away $289,287 in the latest quarter.

PEACE for Families, which provides shelter for battered women, will use its donation for counseling projects for abused women and children.

Sierra Foothills AIDS Foundation will use its award to create an education and prevention team of health care workers.

Other awards went to Legal Services of Northern California, which received $37,300, and $20,000 each to South Placer Heritage Foundation, Del Oro High School, Lighthouse Family Resource Center and Magic Circle Repertory Theatre of Roseville.

Auburn Area Access and the Placer County Sheriff's Department's Dive Team each received $15,000.

Gold Country Toy Run was awarded $11,034, and the Placer Nature Center received $10,000. Parker Whitney Elementary School was given $7,700.

Gold Country Wildlife Rescue, Sheridan School and the Sheridan Student Scholarship Ex-change received $5,000 each.

Awards of $4,000 or less went to Friends of the Lincoln Library, Twin Oaks Elementary School, Ophir Elementary School, the Auburn Community Concert Association and the Placer County Sheriff's Department, which plans to buy bulletproof vests for its canine units.

Jessica Tavares, chairwoman of the United Auburn Indian Community, said in a news release that she was pleased to help the beneficiaries.

"Giving back is the best way forward," she said.