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Paragon Casino Resort Makes $150,000 in Donations to Avoyelles Parish Agencies on Behalf of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana

Donations of $50,000 will be awarded to School Board, Policy Jury and Avoyelles Parish Justice Center

MARKSVILLE, LA. – (Aug 21, 2018) – The Tunica-Biloxi Tribal Council recently announced that Paragon Casino Resort has funded requests from Avoyelles Parish public entities totaling $150,000 on behalf of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe. Donations of $50,000 each will be allocated to the Avoyelles Parish School Board, the Avoyelles Parish Police Jury and the Avoyelles Parish Justice Center.

Tribal Chairman Marshall Pierite said the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe takes great pride in its partnerships with the Parish. “We thrive in Avoyelles Parish, and we appreciate the cooperation we receive from these important offices of parish government. These grants will help fund programs that are needed to improve conditions for parish residents and help us all in the future.”

The school board grant will help fund a summer reading program. The program, dubbed Every Student Succeeds When Every Student Reads, is designed to help the district meet its goals for academic achievement by improving the literacy skills of all students, but specifically those in grades K-2.

The judicial grant will be used for the Avoyelles Parish Justice Center. Judge William J. Bennett of the Justice Center, called the grant vital to the Court’s future planning and praised the history of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe for its commitment to the Parish.

The Avoyelles Parish Police Jury expressed its appreciation for the grant which will be used to supplement parish government operations that would not otherwise be possible. In a letter to the Tribe the Police Jury said the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana has been a “Godsend” and said they are looking forward to a continuing relationship.

About the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana

The Tunica-Biloxi people first appeared in the Mississippi Valley. In the late 1700s, they settled near Marksville, where they were skilled traders and entrepreneurs. Today, the Tribe has more than 1,200 members throughout the United States, primarily in Louisiana, Texas and Illinois.

The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe received federal recognition in 1981 for its reservation within the boundaries of Louisiana. The tribe owns and operates the Paragon Casino Resort, the largest employer in Central Louisiana. Through its compact, negotiated by the late Tribal Chairman Earl J. Barbry Sr. and the State of Louisiana, the Tribe has assisted local governments in the area with its quarterly distribution of funds, totaling more than $40 million over two decades. For more information about the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, visit http://www.tunica.org and “like” us on Facebook.

 

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