HELPING: Cherokee Casino & Hotel West Siloam Springs employee volunteers unload boxes of school supplies from the shuttle. The supplies were gathered by the annual school supply drive and given to Peavine Public Schools. (Cherokee Nation News photo)
WEST SILOAM SPRINGS, Okla. – Employee volunteers from Cherokee Casino & Hotel West Siloam Springs stacked boxes onto the shuttle bus to deliver much-needed school supplies to Peavine Public School last Thursday.
The casino staff gathered 1,419 boxed items for the children and teachers at the school by organizing a contest for the departments gathering the most items.
“This was the largest school supply drive to date for our property,” said Bernadette Keck, human resources generalist and Community Impact Team captain for Cherokee Casino & Hotel West Siloam Springs. “Our employees were very involved, and trophies will be awarded to the two departments that contributed the most items. The drive allows us to make a significant impact on one of our local schools each year by providing items necessary for the education of children in our communities.”
The boxes of supplies included a total of 1,159 No. 2 pencils, 710 pens, 1,224 crayons, 250 markers, 1,440 colored pencils, 248 rulers, 26 calculators and 48 containers of disinfecting wipes, along with assorted school boxes, folders, binder bags, notebooks, loose leaf paper, copy paper, highlighters, erasers, facial tissue, scissors, glue, construction paper, dry erase markers and a dry erase board.
“We want to thank all of the employees at the casino for the school supplies and taking the time to deliver them to us,” said Michael Hargis, Peavine Public Schools superintendent. “Every item will be put to good use in the education of our kids. These supplies will definitely relieve some of the burden on our shrinking budget.”
The volunteers collected the items in their free time and with their own funds as part of the Community Impact Team, a group of employees at each Cherokee Casino property who dedicate their free time to improving and impacting their local communities for the better.
“This year we were so happy to see some of the children the supplies would go to,” said Keck. “It was a great feeling to know that, with our help and these items, hopefully the school year will be a little easier for the children and teachers there.”
CIT employees from each casino host a drive for a school in their community that could benefit from additional supplies. Cherokee Casino & Hotel West Siloam Springs partnered with Peavine Public Schools for their 2017 drive.
As a thank you, the children made cookies, punch and handmade cards from each class to give to the volunteers.
Cherokee Casino & Hotel West Siloam Springs is located off U.S. Highway 412 and State Highway 59 in West Siloam Springs. Visit www.cherokeecasino.com or call (800) 754-4111 for more information. All guests must be at least 21 years of age to attend.
– Cherokee Nation News
