Cherokee Angel Tree Receives $20,000 from Tribal Business Enterprises

Native News Network Staff in Native Briefs. Discussion »

Native Brief: CATOOSA, OKLAHOMA - The Cherokee Nation Angel Tree program will play Santa to more children this Christmas than ever, thanks to contributions from Cherokee Nation Businesses and its employees.

The Cherokee Nation Angel Tree Project has been successfully assisting disadvantaged children within the Cherokee Nation for more than a decade.

Cherokee Nation Businesses donated $20,000 to the Cherokee Nation Angel Tree program to purchase Christmas gifts for children in need. Individual angels were adopted by employees of Cherokee Nation Businesses and two of its subsidiaries, Mobility Plus and Cherokee Nation Entertainment. Employees provided hundreds of local children with clothes, toys, games and more.

"Because of this contribution we know that we won't have to turn anyone away."

said Brandy Lemley, Cherokee Nation Angel Tree coordinator. "This is one of the largest donations we receive throughout the year and it helps a lot,"

Employees from Cherokee Nation Businesses entities, including all Cherokee Casinos and Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, provided more than $30,000 worth of gifts for nearly 600 angels from the program. Employees have adopted angels from the angel tree for seven consecutive years.

The Cherokee Nation Angel Tree helps children in need receive special holiday gifts they might not otherwise have the opportunity to enjoy. More than 1,500 special angels are annually represented on the tree, and the number continues to grow each year.

"We take great pride in contributing to the Cherokee Nation Angel Tree program because it creates a happy holiday for so many area children in need," said David Stewart, chief executive officer, Cherokee Nation Businesses. "They will receive a lot of toys, but more importantly, clothes needed to keep them warm during the winter months."

Children represented on the Cherokee Nation Angel Tree are of Native American descent and living within the Cherokee Nation under low-income family guidelines. The Cherokee Nation Angel Tree Project has been successfully assisting disadvantaged children within the Cherokee Nation for more than a decade.

posted December 16, 2011 6:20 am est