- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
Gun Lake Casino (GLC), owned and operated by the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians (Gun Lake Tribe).has announced on Monday the impressive results of its annual Toys for Tots collection drive, which took place from December 1 to December 15. During this time, GLC collected over 1,000 new toys valued at more than $35,000. Donations ranged from baby toys to full-size bicycles, including electric scooters, dolls, stuffed animals, board games, footballs, basketballs, and more.
GLC guests were incentivized to contribute by receiving free slot play of up to $100 each day in exchange for unwrapped toys accompanied by a receipt.
Make A Donation Here
“The 2024 Toys for Tots campaign was a great success,” Carter Pavey, Vice President of Marketing. said. “We send enormous appreciation to our guests, team members, tribal community, Harley Davidson of Hudsonville, and the Lakeshore Marine Corp for helping us bring joy and love to children in West Michigan who need it the most.”
Gun Lake Casino has partnered with the Lakeshore Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program for years to bring holiday cheer to children in need across West Michigan. This year, the Lakeshore Marine Corps Reserve teamed up with Harley-Davidson of Hudsonville to host a toy giveaway event on Saturday, December 21.
Gun Lake Casino, a premier gaming and entertainment destination, is conveniently located off Exit 61 on U.S. 131, midway between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. The casino is approaching the completion of its $300-million expansion, which includes a 252-room luxury hotel, a full-service spa, meeting spaces, and additional dining options, all set to open in March 2025.
A highlight of the expansion is the Wawyé Oasis, a breathtaking 32,000-square-foot glass atrium featuring a year-round tropical climate. This innovative space will include a state-of-the-art entertainment center with multiple pools and serve as a dynamic venue for nightlife, live concerts, and banquets. The Wawyé Oasis is slated to open in May 2025.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Seattle Seahawks Tackle Preservation Projects at Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center for Annual Day of Service
Native News Weekly (June 15, 2025): D.C. Briefs
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
