Ponca Enterprise Gaming Board supports tribal elders

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Ponca Enterprise Gaming Board supports tribal elders

Tue, 12/06/2022 - 15:00
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The Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma established the Ponca Enterprise Gaming, LLC and from that the Fancy Dance Casino was established and open for operation in September of 2020.

The casino is located off of Interstate 35 just north of Perry, Oklahoma. The Ponca Tribe was very active in Indian Gaming in the 1980’s and was one of the first tribes in the State of Oklahoma to offer high-stakes bingo. As bingo eventually became an obsolete form of Indian gaming, the Ponca Tribe was without casino operations for a number of years prior to the development of the Fancy Dance Casino. One of the core tenants of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), enacted by Congress in 1988, is to promote economic development, tribal self-sufficiency, and strong tribal government.

Through their gaming operations, one of their main priorities is for the tribe to have an economic impact and to establish priorities related to self-sufficiency such as assistance to their most vulnerable members. In keeping with their own cultural affinity of providing for and tending to elders, the Board of Directors saw fit to provide monies to the tribe that would in turn be used as assistance to tribal members age 55 and up.

Many of their elders face complex issues, many do not have disposable income, and many provide care for and even raise grandchildren.

With record inflation and prices being noted within the economy, it is imperative that tribes use the mechanisms afforded to them to assist their people whenever possible.

This one time assistance will be in the amount of $300.00 for every tribal citizen age 55+, which equates to about 788 people.

With the tribal enrollment currently at a little over 4,000 members, being able to help those 788 members equates to about 19% of the tribal population being assisted right before the holiday season.

“As Chairman of the Board of Directors, it is a very good feeling to be able to provide funding that will help our Senior Citizens,” said Daniel Sherron, Chairman of the Board of Ponca Enterprise Gaming, LLC. “As we continue to grow and develop, the Board looks forward to future opportunities to be able to assist all members.”

In addition to the funds expended for the holiday season, the Fancy Dance Casino also makes monthly distributions in the amount of $15,000 to the tribe, from which burial assistance is provided to the families of tribal members who have passed away.

They also fund the Annual Ponca Celebration that occurs every August and is the largest powwow in North Central Oklahoma, hosting the World Championship Fancy Dance contest each year.