Native American Times - America's Largest Independent, Native American News Source

Native American Times - America's Largest Independent, Native American News Source: "The Choctaw Nation generated a little under half a million dollars during a series of recent fundraisers designed to benefit the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Tribal officials recently presented the Red Cross with a check for $443,911.33.

“This donation comes from a combination of tribal and community generosity,” said Choctaw Chief Greg Pyle. “The Choctaw Nation devoted one of our biggest days of gaming in history, Labor Day, to the fundraiser.”

The tribe donated a week’s worth of proceeds from fuel sales at all thirteen Choctaw Travel Plazas.

Pyle said the generosity was sparked, in part, because of historical ties.

“Mississippi is our ancestral homeland, and we have a great number of tribal members who live in that state and in Louisiana,” he said. “Many people from those states are now in Oklahoma, after being displaced by the storm damage. Ten percent of the amount the tribe has presented to the Red Cross will stay in southeastern Oklahoma for the relief organization to use helping those victims in our immediate area.”
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