Red
Lake Band
receives $500,000
grant
The
Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) has
announced a grant for $500,000 to the Red Lake Band
of Chippewa for upgrading and constructing St.
Mary's Mission School. The grant will assist the
Tribal Council in its efforts to improve conditions
on the Red Lake Reservation through the provision
of education and services.
According
to a news release, St. Mary's Mission School is the
only all Native American Catholic grade school in
the state of Minnesota. For 115 years, it has
provided Red Lake children with high quality
education.
"All
monies received will be used for upgrading the
facility, new construction and endowment," wrote
Red Lake Chairman George W. King.
The SMSC
donation will support a number of components to
upgrade the school by bringing lighting, electrical
and plumbing up to safety codes; building a front
entrance; and adding on a kindergarten room, a
health room, office space, and a teacher's study
room. The Red Lake Reservation, which consists of
1,259 square miles in northwestern Minnesota, has a
population of over 6,000. Of that population, 99
percent are Ojibwe Indians.
"We
appreciate that the Red Lake Tribal Council wants
to make life better for its members. It is very
important to us to help other Indian people,
particularly the youth. They are the best hope for
their nation's uture," said SMSC Chairman Stanley
R. Crooks. "St. Mary's provides a valuable service
to the Red Lake Nation, and we are happy to have
the opportunity to help."
The SMSC
has provided grants to a number of Indian nations,
including several in Minnesota, Nebraska, South
Dakota, North Dakota and Wyoming. Over the last six
years, the SMSC has donated more than $31.5 million
to Indian tribes and nonprofit entities. The SMSC
is a federally recognized Indian tribe in Prior
Lake.
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