Organizations across the Upper Peninsula will receive a share of $856,473 in contributions this fall from the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.
The support to local government and community organizations is part of the twice-annual payments the Sault Tribe has distributed since 1993, according to a community announcement. The funds are based on 2% of its video gaming revenues from Kewadin Casino properties.
Counties benefiting from the contributions include Chippewa, Luce, Mackinac, Schoolcraft, Alger, Delta and Marquette.
Funds used for fire departments, health care
Some of the contributions from the fall distribution include:
- Lake Superior State University received $9,999.96 for mobile robotics
- The Chippewa County Sheriff’s Department received $5,000 for a CAD unit
- Rudyard Area Schools received $5,416.25 to support its cardio lab
- Garfield Township received $5,000 for wildland firefighting boots
- The city of St. Ignace received $5,344.81 for fire department lighting and $12,000 for a police department ballistic shield
- Schoolcraft Hospital received $8,242.81 for a LUCAS unit, which is a portable, mechanical device that provides consistent, high-quality chest compressions for patients in sudden cardiac arrest
- Schoolcraft Medical Facility received $1,000 for insomnia carts
- Munising Township Fire Department received $11,352.36 to update its 800 MHz radio
- The Alger County Sheriff’s Department received $3,274.06 for emergency backpacks
Total funding exceeds $1.5 million in 2025
Between this year’s spring and fall allocations, the Sault Tribe has made more than $1,550,000 in 2% contributions across the Upper Peninsula in 2025.
“Our Kewadin Casino properties are not only economic drivers that support local tourism and entertainment, they are also one of the key ways we are able to give back and help improve our region,” Sault Tribe Chairman Austin Lowes said in the announcement. “This funding will support a wide range of local programs serving everything from seniors and veterans to parks and recreation and public safety, improved health care and more.”
Those interested in reviewing current and past grant recipients can visit kewadin.com/2-percent-donating.
This story was created by Janis Reeser, [email protected] with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at https://cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
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