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MORONGOS DIVERSIFY WITH CABAZON BOTTLING PLANT
CABAZON: The $26 million water venture is part of the tribe's plan to diversify economically.
By GUY MCCARTHY
THE PRESS-ENTERPRISEClick here to see online version of story:
01/03/2002 -- CABAZON -- Brightly lighted Casino Morongo on Interstate 10 is a symbol of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians' growing economic clout.
Just south of I-10, another Morongo venture is taking shape. In a step to develop businesses other than gaming, construction is under way on a $26 million water-bottling plant on Morongo land in Cabazon.
The new plant will create about 60 jobs when it opens in summer 2002, and is expected to add up to 200 more jobs by the time it's completed in 2003, said Maurice Lyons, Morongo tribal chairman.
"We're diversifying our holdings," Lyons said. "We want to diversify from the casino. We want to be a player in the economic community."
The 383,000-square-foot plant will be operated by Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water, a subsidiary of Perrier Group of America. The source will be natural spring water flowing from Millard Canyon, north of Cabazon and west of Kitching Peak.
Morongo leaders purchased the water rights to the Millard Canyon sources in June for $3 million from the Cabazon County Water District, which serves about 800 customers. The land where the plant is being built lies within the Morongo reservation.
Some of Cabazon's 2,200 residents criticized the deal in June, saying the town could need the water to accommodate future growth or for emergencies. Water district board members said the cash from the water-rights sale will permanently lower customers' monthly water bills by 40 percent.
Lyons said the arrangement was a win-win situation for the tribe and Pass-area residents.
"Any time you can buy water rights, you do it," Lyons said. "We're going to be able to control how much water comes out of there. We're keeping the water where it belongs -- here with us. And the Pass will benefit by the jobs we're creating."
When the plant opens this summer, it will operate two production lines initially, then expand to four production lines with a capacity for bottling up to 17 million cases of water annually in various container sizes.
With expansion, the plant eventually could open as many as 10 production lines and bottle up to 41 million cases a year, said tribal spokeswoman Waltona Manion.
The plant will not deplete or disrupt tribal or Cabazon water sources, which are separate from the Millard Canyon sources, Manion said.
Morongo officials have conducted an environmental analysis, concluding there will be no adverse effects on the natural springs or other water sources in the area, Manion said.
The bottling plant has been designed to meet the U.S. Green Building Council's standards for environmentally sustainable design and construction, Manion said.
Whenever possible, Morongo and Arrowhead officials prefer to hire locally, Manion said. Jobs at the plant will include positions in maintenance, production, quality control and warehouse storage. Arrowhead will offer competitive benefits packages, including medical, dental and vision coverage and 401(k) plans, Manion said.
The tribe is already the largest employer in the San Gorgonio Pass area, with more than 1,500 employees at Casino Morongo and other businesses.
The Morongo reservation, established in 1865, is home to about 400 tribal members on 32,000 acres.
MORONGO HEAD START CHRISTMAS FLOAT SHINES IN FESTIVAL OFLIGHTS PARADE December 4, 2001 -- Morongo Indian Reservation, Banning, CA. -- A first-ever Christmas parade float created by the parents, children and staff of the Morongo Indian Head Start program was a smash success in the annual Palm Springs Festival of Lights parade this past Saturday.
According to Head Start executive director Helen Carson, more than 60,000 people lining Palm Canyon Boulevard saw the float.
"About 60 of our children and parents rode on the float that they designed and built," said Carson. "Our public works department provided generators and parents donated batteries and materials. It took three weeks to build and was a real labor of love that brought everyone together."
The Morongo Indian Head Start float was constructed using a flatbed truck as a base. Anchored to the truck was a giant Santa's sleigh surrounded by Christmas presents and hay bales. A towering, fully lit Christmas tree was affixed to the cab of the truck. The entire float featured more than 10,000 lights and was decorated with huge lollipops and candy canes.
Children on the float dressed in red or green and wearing lighted reindeer antlers rang bells. There were two bubble machines showering bubbles on spectators and the float's sound system broadcast Christmas carols.
"Everyone on the Morongo Headstart float was lit head to toe," said Morongo tribal chairman Maurice Lyons. "Parade-goers said it was spectacular. Parents have already begun planning next year's float."
The Morongo Indian Head Start program, which began in 1993, provides children with a learning environment in which they develop socially, intellectually, physically and mentally through hands-on teaching experiences. Upon entry to the Head Start program, children are given a dental, hearing, vision, medical and behavioral screening. If there are any special needs or difficulties, the children are referred for help.
In 1995, the tribe constructed a series of modular units which form the Head Start school. The complex, which includes classrooms, a food services kitchen and offices, has capacity for 60 children.
Currently the Morongo Indian Head Start program has executive director Carson, two teachers, four aides, a health and disabilities coordinator, a family/community partnerships coordinator, a receptionist, cook, janitor, and busing staff.
HISTORY REPEATS AS INDIANS BRING THANKSGIVING TO RIVERSIDE WITH MORE THAN 1,300 TURKEYS FOR MORE THAN 20 AREA CHARITIES; TRIBE TO HONOR NEW YORK CITY FIREFIGHTERS WITH TURKEYS TO RIVERSIDE FIRE DEPARTMENT
CHAPLAINS CORPS Riverside, CA., November 15 , 2001 -- Riverside City Mission executive director Michael Fisbeck called it "a welcome gift from the people who inspired the first Thanksgiving and an unprecedented holiday windfall". Tribal members from the Morongo Band of Mission Indians' say it is their way of continuing a tradition that started 379 years ago on the coast of Massachusetts. This week, in the largest turkey donation in its history, the Morongo tribe provided more than 1,300 turkeys to help provide Thanksgiving meals for Riverside County families in need.
According to Morongo tribal council member Anne Hutton, as a part of the tribe's Thanksgiving outreach, it delivered turkeys and also set up a special pick-up center for designated charities on the Morongo Indian reservation. Deliveries to charities throughout Riverside took place on November 15th and 16th. On-site pick-ups for selected charities were scheduled on the 16th at the old bingo hall located on Fields Road on the reservation.
One of the groups benefiting from Morongo's outreach this year is the Riverside County Fire Department's Chaplain Corps. Jim Cook, who is battalion chief for the Moreno Valley Fire Division said, "The tribe told us they wanted to honor the spirit of the New York City firefighters by helping to support our chaplain corps' Thanksgiving assistance to low-income families."
The chaplain corps includes chaplains from Cathedral of the Valley in Cathedral City, Fountain of Life Church in Banning, River of Life Church in Beaumont, San Gorgonio Catholic Church, New Covenant Bible Ministry in Moreno Valley, Calvary Chapel in Temecula, Baptist Church Hemet, Pass Fellowship Ministry, Freedom Community Christian Church Moreno Valley, House of Praise in Murrietta, Norco First Assembly, the Family Praise Fellowship in Riverside and Eagle Wing Church in Perris. The group received more than 300 turkeys.
Other groups that received turkeys from Morongo included Alternatives To Domestic Violence, the American Legion, Cabazon Elementary School, Carol's Kitchen, Help, Inc., the Morongo Faith Chapel's Red Barn Ministry, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Salvation Army of Riverside.
"We are especially happy to be helping the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars posts as this is not a time when we should forget those who have served our country," said Hutton. "Both these organizations serve needy veterans and senior veterans who have no other access to a Thanksgiving meal. Our turkeys will be used for both outreach baskets and hot meal service."
"More than three centuries ago, the Wampanoag Indians helped the Pilgrims to survive and at harvest, brought food to share with the early settlers for a thanksgiving," said Hutton. "We are honoring the spirit of that original Thanksgiving with this donation. The Morongo Indians know and understand what difficult times are all about. Like many of the families we are trying to help, our struggles are far from over. But this holiday is a good place to start building new friendships."
Hutton also noted that November is national Native American Heritage Month.
"The Morongo tribe's donation helped in two areas: we used their turkeys for both deliveries to low-income and needy families and also to provide thousands of warm, healthy Thanksgiving meals this season," said Riverside City Mission executive director Fisbeck.
Casino Morongo also distributed an additional 200 turkeys to New Life Praise Chapel, San Gorgonio Child Care, Morongo Head Start Pre-School, Moose Lodge 915#, St. Vincent Catholic Church, Set Free Christian Fellowship, Fellowship in the Pass.
"Because of tribal gaming, we are now self-sufficient and we understand the pride that comes with being able to support yourself. As things have become better on our reservation, we believe it is important to share," said Hutton. "From Banning and Beaumont to Moreno Valley, Riverside, Yucaipa and Hemet, all of these communities have been supportive to our tribe. We thought this would be one way to say thanks. We hope that the individuals and families who receive our special Thanksgiving dinners will accept our wishes and prayers for peace and goodwill."
The Morongo tribe operates one of the largest and oldest Indian government gaming facilities in California. As a direct result of their gaming operation's success, the Morongo tribe has eliminated welfare on the reservation. The Morongo Band's dependence on federal funds once ran at $500,000 annually. That taxpayer burden has been virtually erased with the tribe's ability to support themselves through tribal gaming. This also saves the state of California hundreds of thousands of dollars in state welfare assistance no longer paid to tribal members. The tribe now pays for a wide range of its community services including water storage and distribution systems, waste management, road maintenance, public safety, college education funding, recreational facilities, Headstart program assistance and more.
The Morongo tribe is the largest private sector employer in the Banning-Beaumont region and a major contributor to the Coachella Valley economy. The tribe presently employs more than 1,500 people in both gaming and non-gaming tribal operations.
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MORONGO BLOOD DRIVE HAS OVERWHELMING RESPONSE
More than 190 tribal members, employees and casino patrons donated blood at Morongo's blood drive held yesterday on the reservation. Both ABC-TV and NBC-TV from Los Angeles as well as local TV news and newspapers covered the first-ever blood drive held on a California Indian reservation to replenish blood supplies used during the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C. The following are some photos to share from the event.
Giving til it hurts --Casino Morongo employee LeRoy Wilson grimaces as a blood bank staffer Bernie Varela of Rancho Mirage places the needle to begin drawing blood. More than 190 tribal members, employees and patrons gave blood and registered for the national bone marrow registry. The Morongo tribe's blood drive will help restock blood supplies used in the New York and Washington D.C. terrorist attacks. Morongo tribal chairman Maurice Lyons said the tribe will be scheduling new drives in the future.
MORONGO TRIBE TO HONOR ATTACK VICTIMS
AND RELIEF WORKERS
AT INDIAN POW-WOW; EVENT STARTS FRIDAYNative American dancers, singers, artists and craftspeople from Indian tribes throughout the United States and Canada will gather Friday, September 28th through Sunday, September 30th, for the 11th annual Morongo Pow-Wow. The event is free to the public and last year more than 15,000 visitors came to view the dance competitions, eat genuine Indian foods and shop among the various artisans on display.
This year, at the beginning of each grand entry, there will be a special candle-lighting ceremony to honor those killed in the recent terrorist attacks and those active in relief efforts. The pow-wow grand entry traditionally features a color guard of American Indian veterans and is a moving custom. In addition, the Morongo tribe is hosting a booth for the American Red Cross to accept donations and will also offer voter registration.
One of Southern California's most colorful and exciting Native American events, the Morongo pow-wow provides the color and sound of Native American dancers dressed in stunning regalia and competing in dazzling dance and drumming competitions. There will be more than $80,000 in dance and drum prizes awarded at this year's pow-wow.
Guests will be able to try a variety of Native American foods and can watch Indian silver and turquoise craftspeople at work. Shoppers can browse through the colorful bazaar featuring sand paintings, Indian pottery, katchina dolls, moccasins and caps, Native American beadwork, belts, shirts and other artwork.
On Friday, the pow-wow's Indian market, featuring hundreds of exhibitors, opens at 4:00 p.m. with the dramatic grand entry of all dancers starting at 8:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday pow-wow events kick off at 10:00 a.m. with grand entry at noon with another grand entry ceremony Saturday evening at
7:00 p.m. The pow-wow will be staged on the Morongo Indian Reservation, just west of Casino Morongo, located along Interstate 10 between Banning and Palm Springs. The pow-wow grounds are marked by a giant tent surrounded by the vendor booths of the Indian market. Parking and nearby camping is free.
Information on the pow-wow is available at 800-252-4499.
A young pow-wow performer at the Morongo Pow-Wow
basks in the warmth of her sister's smile.
Hundreds of dancers come from across the country
to compete in Morongo's pow-wow, one of the
most popular in the United States.
MORONGO INDIANS TO GIVE BLOOD
FOR AMERICAN RELIEF EFFORTS
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 26th, NOON TO 5:00 P.M.;
FIRST BLOOD DRIVE ON CALIFORNIA INDIAN RESERVATIONMorongo Indian Reservation, September 24, 2001 -- The Morongo Band of Mission Indians has announced a blood drive and bone marrow registration project on the Morongo Indian reservation in conjunction with the Community Blood Bank Center to be held this Wednesday, September 26th starting at noon through 5:00 p.m. According to the Morongo tribal office, this is the first official blood drive on a California Indian reservation to help replenish blood supplies being used in New York City and Washington, D.C. as a result of the terrorist attacks.
"Like the rest of the world, all of us at Morongo were shocked and dismayed by the horrific terrorist attacks leveled at New York and Washington," said Morongo tribal vice chairwoman Luanne Martin. "When such tragedy strikes, we can all help. In every major conflict America has faced, American Indians have given more lives than any other individual group. We will continue to stand with our country and our President and offer our resources and support in every way. We were inspired by the people of New York who, within an hour of the attack, lined up outside St. Vincent's Hospital to give blood. Now all of us Morongo wants to give ours."
Tribal chairman Maurice Lyons, council and tribal members will be opening the blood drive as the first donors.
"Immediately after the terrorists' attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., we contacted the blood banks. Americans lined up within hours to give blood all over the country and our regional blood bank chapters were no exception. Representatives from the Community Blood Bank Center at Rancho Mirage advised us that they were concerned that in the weeks and months after the attacks that blood donations might fall off and that it would be critical to maintain a steady supply. That is why we have scheduled this blood drive."
The Community Blood Bank is devoting a full staff to this effort and will be able to processing nine donors at a time starting at 10:00 a.m. From 10:00 a.m. to noon has been reserved for tribal members and employees. At noon, casino customers will be able to register to give as well. Blood donations will be accepted until 5:00 p.m.
"We are urging our employees and customers to sign up as donors and help this effort," said Lyons. "Each whole blood donation may benefit up to three people in need."
Registration and blood collection is taking place in the Human Resources training trailer just east of the casino.
Casino Morongo is located at 49750 Seminole Drive adjacent to the Interstate 10 just east of Banning.
The Community Blood Bank will also be taking registrations for bone marrow donors. Volunteers can indicate that they would like to be recorded in the National Bone Marrow Registry. Typing for donor matching will be done directly from a separate small sample of the donor's blood.
Lyons said that the tribe is giving each donor an American flag as a thank-you for their donation.
"Public awareness is heightened when tragedy strikes and generous people, like the Morongo tribe, act without hesitation to donate a much-needed lifeline," said Community Blood Bank spokeswoman Rosemarie Tessier. "A steady donation flow means there will always be blood even through a crisis. It is very important for the Blood Bank to collect a minimum of 80 pints of blood a day. Every day. Traditionally, we collect only about 30 to 40 pints a day. But blood is needed all the time, 24 -hours a day, 365 days a year."
Morongo tribal representatives met recently with the Riverside Chapter of the American Red Cross to donate $25,000 for their disaster team to go to New York. According to ARC executive director Pam Anderson, it is the largest donation in their history. The tribe is working on additional assistance in the coming weeks for American relief efforts.
Morongo
Extends Help to Relief Efforts in New York;
Morongo First Tribe in U.S. to Respond with
Assistance
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Morongo tribal vice chairwoman Luanne Martin and tribal council Anne Hutton join American Red Cross (ARC) chief executive officer Pam Anderson, board chairwoman Deborah Hill and board member Erin Fuller for presentation of Morongo's donation of $25,000 to the Riverside chapter of the ARC. The donation is the largest in the Riverside chapter's history. Red Cross CEO Pam Anderson said, "We are all so very moved by the tribe's incredible generosity. Morongo's gift will help many, many people affected in this national tragedy." |
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American Red Cross board chairwoman Deborah Hill and board member Erin Fuller thank Morongo Band of Mission Indians tribal vice chairwoman Luanne Martin for Morongo's gift which will enable the Red Cross Riverside Chapter to send their disaster team to New York and Washington for relief efforts. Red Cross disaster team members will all be wearing Morongo pins during their work in New York. |
The following is a copy of the national news release that the Assistant Secretary of the Interior issued praising Morongo's actions and the generosity of Indian country:Bureau of Indian Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Nedra Darling
September 14, 2001
202-219-4152McCaleb Praises Indian Country for Recovery Effort Help (WASHINGTON) -- Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Neal A. McCaleb today praised Indian Country's outstanding generosity as our nation rebounds from this week's tragic terrorist attack.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the friends and families of innocent people lost or injured by this act of enormous horror," McCaleb said. "An attack on America is an attack on Indian Country. I am gratified, but hardly surprised, that so many tribes have quickly offered support to the victims and their loved ones."
Many tribes have donated time, personnel and monetary help to the recovery effort. For example, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation in Mayetta, Kansas, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians and the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, both of California, donated funds to the rescue endeavor.
Also, the Mashantucket Pequots of Conn. turned two high-speed ferries into recovery vessels that rescued panicked people who leaped from a Manhattan pier to escape incoming rubble and ferried firefighters, police officers and doctors from Long Island to Manhattan's tragic scene. In another example, the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of La. organized a community-wide blood drive.
Also, when the attacks took place, the Bureau of Indian Affairs immediately reassigned 25 criminal investigators and chiefs of police who were attending training classes at the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Va. The officers are providing security assistance at the Interior Department headquarters and federal locations outside the city. They will continue to provide essential security support for Interior employees and the public for the foreseeable future.
"I am deeply proud of all of our employees who conducted themselves in a calm and professional manner under extremely stressful circumstances, and I am grateful for their courage and dedication to duty in the face of danger," McCaleb said.
The BIA's central office in Washington, D.C., reopened for business Wednesday after being temporarily evacuated.
The BIA, an agency with almost 10,000 employees nationwide, provides services to, carries out its federal trust responsibilities for, and promotes the self-determination of the 558 federally recognized tribal governments and approximately 1.4 million American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Letter to the White House September 11, 2001
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500To President Bush and the American People:
This is a terrible and sad day in American history.
The entire community of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians sends our deepest condolences to the families of the people who lost their lives this morning in the heinous, demented terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
We pray for your continued safety, that of your family as well as our leaders and all Americans everywhere. We also send our heartfelt prayers for the families of the victims and the medical and rescue workers who are working under extraordinary conditions to locate and care for the survivors.
As in every major crisis that this country has faced, we stand with you and offer our resources and support in every way. We contacted the Riverside/San Bernardino Blood Bank to arrange for a special blood drive to be organized immediately on our reservation and in surrounding communities for the victims in New York and Washington.
We were inspired by the people of New York who, within an hour of the attack, lined up outside St. Vincent's Hospital to give blood. It is good to remember that in the face of cruelty and hate that there are still good people in our world willing to do the right thing.
These attacks are unprecedented tragedies of horrific scale and mark a day in United States history that will be remembered forever. America will never be the same after this day and that makes it all the more important that we work together.
It is tragic that anyone still believes that violence and the taking of human life is an acceptable choice in resolving any differences. We pray that you and our country's leadership will chart a course that will do what is necessary to deliver justice and provide for peace for our families and children.
With our support and respect,
Maurice Lyons, Tribal Chairman
Luanne Martin, Tribal Vice Chair
Leatrice Briones, Council Member
Anne Hutton, Council Member
Robert Martin, Council Member
Dennis Miller, Council Member
Damon Sandoval, Council Member
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