Poarch Creek Indians Donate $2 Million To Area Schools
March 1, 2013
The Poarch Band of Creek Indians donated more than $2 million to four school in Escambia County, Florida, along with schools from Escambia, Monroe and Baldwin counties in Alabama.
The donations made this afternoon are part of the tribe’s 2013 Planned Giving Campaign.
Over a quarter million dollars was donated to North Escambia schools as follows:
- Bratt Elementary School: $82,213.90
- Byrneville Elementary School: $54,64721
- Ernest Ward Middle School: $58,000
- Northview High School: $56,594.66
“We are very thankful,” Bratt Elementary School Principal Karen Hall said. “This will allow us to do a cultural heritage project with out students.” Bratt will use their grant to purchase computers and cameras, with students researching their cultural background and presenting the results during a parent’s night in May.
Byrneville Elementary school will use their grant for technology items, while Ernest Ward Middle School will purchase a copier and netbooks to be used for computer-based testing. Northview High School will purchase two digital copiers with finishers, laptops and projector mounts.
“Our Tribal members, our employees and our neighbors send their children to these schools,” said PCI Tribal Chairman Buford L. Rolin. “”I can think of no better investment in the future than to make sure budget cuts don’t limit our children’s opportunities or their dreams or in any way.”
For a photo gallery, click here.
Donations were made to Alabama schools as follows:
Baldwin County
- Baldwin County High School – $66,743.68
- Bay Minette Intermediate School – $15,000
- Perdido Elementary School – $90,000
Escambia County
- A.C. Moore Elementary School – $62,550
- Atmore Christian School – $20,000
- Escambia Academy – $138,621.50
- Escambia County High School – $128,465.02
- Escambia County Middle School – $135,000
- Flomaton Elementary School – $75,063.30
- Flomaton High School – $117,396.86
- Huxford Elementary School – $250,406.20
- Jefferson Davis Community College – $500,000
- Rachel Patterson Elementary School – $117,134.75
Monroe County
- J.U. Blacksher School – $114,173
During 2011 and 2012, the tribe donated more than $3 million to Alabama schools. Tribe officials said the grants were planned well before the recent lawsuit filed by Attorney General Luther Strange’s lawsuit that seeks to shut down the Wind Creek Casino. Strange claims the machines used by the casino are illegal, but PCI says the machines are legal under federal law.
Pictured top: The Poarch Band of Creek Indians donated over a quarter million of a million dollars to North Escambia schools Thursday. Pictured are (L-R) Byrneville Elementary Principal Dee Wolfe-Sullivan, Escambia School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas, Bratt Elementary Principal Karen Hall, Ernest Ward Middle Principal Nancy Perry and Northview High Principal Gayle Weaver. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
28 Responses to “Poarch Creek Indians Donate $2 Million To Area Schools”
Thank you PCI!!!!!! I have a 7th grader @ Ernest Ward and a 9th grader at Northview. It is appreciated these are good schools and faculty they deserve the help! God Bless
Thank you pci for showing what its all about. If owners of businesses netting millions a year would do this kind of stuff and now figure ways to cut costs and make more money, this world would be a better place. Thank you especially for the donation to northview high as i graduates there class of 2003 woohoo ten years. Miss you mrs weaver and mrs gindl
Fantastic news! Not only did they donate to schools in their city but ALL schools in the area! Now, I’m not much into politics and all that garbage and opinions but I think it’s really ridiculous that the government and certain people in the community constantly ridicule and come up with ways on how to shut down all of the PCI operations. When I first moved to Atmore about 7 years ago, there wasn’t much out there. Now there are plenty of employment opportunities, new income for the area, , hotels, basically making people want to come to Atmore, not just drive through, despite race, religion, sexual orientation, etc….They give back so much to the community without asking for anything in return. I myself wouldn’t have a job if the casino and all the new business out here. Thank you for the generosity PCI!!!
Thanks to Poarch creek for donating to FLOMATON we needed it and we appreciate y’all and what y’all do for the community !!!!
Thanks for the generosity, Byrneville is a charter and mainly contributions are how they maintain themselves, that and the progrms they do to raise money, Escambia gives them a very small % of money.
Way to go Poarch Creeks….isnt this great….wonderful….wheres Luthers donation.
Amen! Flomaton needed it. Thank you.
They have bailed out the Atmore Hospital and now they continue to help the schools in the area – Thank you PCI, Keep up the good work!
I want to thank PCI for the support of our schools! I hope that the schools will use the donations to improve the students education, not the looks of the buildings. The electronic sign outside of ECHS was, in my opinion, A total waste of precious funds.
Thank you! Your generosity is appreciated!!!
I don’t understand some peoples way of thinking poarch creek indians came and brought the casinos and made jobs for people to work, made money to donate to our area schools, and now the government wants to shut them down. Why because the creek indians are doing more to help people than the government. I say let the casinos stay if you close the casinos then what are the people suppose to do that work their ,how are they suppose to support their families, the government is already talking about layoffs and stuff and there might not be any money to pay unemployment money to pay those that are going to be laid off. So let the casino stay open so the people can work and support their families.
These school deserved this and children who attend also
Very nice to see them help such a wide range around them.
wow way to go PCI thank you so much for the school donatiions. i wish they would pave that road in front of the old j-mar beside dougs old store cause whenm i go and come from magnolia branch that road really is rough to the point it would be better if it were dirt
this is so great that they will help our schools when the states and county will not this is just well one of the best things I have seen in a long time thank you all for helping our children.
Thank you for the donations to Baldwin County schools!!! Your generosity to our area is greatly appreciated!!
Our teachers, staff, students, and Board of Directors join me in expressing our gratitude to the Poarch Band of Creek Indians.
In the face of 2 lawsuits POARCH CREEK is still sharing the wealth…..as if all is well.The whole community is benefiting from PCI generosity.Really no need drive to Pensacola or Mobile to find something to do.The ten screen movie theatre and bowling alley project is progressing well.Exit 57 in Atmore is booming and will boom even more if Poarch Creek would be left alone to benefit its people which inturn benefits all in the surrounding area…..Attorney Genera pleasel leave PCI alone and let them thrive thus benefiting us all in some way…..oh let me not fail to mention jobs…jobs….and more jobs!!
Help me remember how much Good Old Luther the Ala. A/G donated to the schools.
Wow great job PCI. I wonder why we never see the Florida Lottery present a check to schools. Oh wait a minute that is a state of Florida and U.S. Government program thats why. PCI Keeps there promises.
We should just replace the Alabama state government with the Poarch Creek Indians, at least they have the ability to make money for the state and help the communities and provide jobs..
Wonder what the Ala Gov REALLY has against casinos…?
Is he afraid they are too attractive to his family or cronies?
Jeepers Creepers….Mississippi ain’t all THAT far away and why gamble on a loss of income to his own state plus Florida?
After all, the first use of that dogged baseball park in Pensacola was to use the property for a CASINO….Hello.
Thank You to the Poarch Band of Creek Indians…..You ROCK.
Maybe one day in Florida….after all we gots SEMINOLES here.
What a wonderful thing for them to do! Kudos!
Thank you Poarch Band of Creek Indians !!!! So nice !!!!
It is amazing how so many are reaping benefits of the successes of the Poarch Creek Indians while at the same time the politicians choose to attack the tribe. It is a fact that the tribe suffered for so many years at the hands of the narrow minded, and those narrow minded people (the governor, attorney general, county commissioners) still smile with their hands opened ready to take the cash while plotting to make the tribe suffer once more. Oh and lets not forget all of the non tribal families that will suffer if the backward thinking politicians get their way.
These politicians are in no way, shape or form thinking about the best interests of the people, they never have and never will…
So happy for these schools!! Thank you Poarch Band of Creek Indians .
This is so awesome! Can’t believe there are still people that are against the Casinos. That’s one of the main reasons they are able to do so much for the community!!!
very generous…….Thank You