The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians announced on Friday the distribution of more than $600,000 of gaming revenue allocations to local units of government. The funds, which will be split among 31 local applicants, are part of the tribe’s twice-annual 2 percent allocation.

A list of recipients can be perused below.

·        $19,162.50 to Benzie County as part of a “government to government agreement” for “prisoner housing contract.”

·        $12,775 to Charlevoix County as part of a “government to government agreement” for “prisoner housing contract.”

·        $17,000 to Boyne City Public Schools to fund the school’s Boyne Area Title VI Educational Consortium “and costs associated with cultural purposes, college readiness assistance and to help offset transportation and other costs of students attending cultural experiences through field trips, campus visits, camps, museums, and local events.”

·        $8,000 to East Jordan Public Schools “to support the schools Title VI Program that funds tutors in order to provide academic tutoring, social-emotional support and cultural programming to Native American students in the East Jordan School District.

·        $42,000 to Elk Rapids Public Schools “to support the schools Native American Student Education Program in hiring 2 academic tutors for educational activities and for items such as sport's fees, band and choir costs, cultural activities, educational and cultural conferences, supplies, homework lab supplies and support, school pictures, and technology fees; and other activities.”

·        $109,000 to Suttons Bay Public Schools to help fund “the Title VI Indigenous Education Program that focuses on supporting students culturally and to focus on reading comprehension, study skills, and graduation. The funds will also help implement a summer school program as well.”

·        $ 68,000 to Traverse City Area Public Schools for the Title VI Education Program “that focuses on academically and culturally supporting the schools’ Native American students during the upcoming 2023-2024 school year.”

·        $10,000 to Forest Area Community Schools to support a partnership between the district and the YouthWork program administered by Child and Family Services. GTB describes YouthWork as “a mutually beneficial program for disadvantaged youth to learn job skills, engage in positive peer experiences, earn a paycheck, and build resiliency…”

·        $10,000 to the Greenspire High School “to purchase 10 laptops for the growing student population in the new computer laboratory.”

·        $ 23,400.00 to Northwest Education Services for a partnership with Michael’s Place, a local organization that supports “the growing need for bereavement services for children.” The partnership will create two new programs within North Ed: “Writing Through Loss for Educators and School” and “Bereavement Response Training and Planning.”

·        $8,000 to Northwestern Michigan College, to fund International Affairs Forum programming.

·        $1,500 to Suttons Bay Public Schools (SBPS) “to take seniors on 10 college campus tours, where they are free to learn and explore.” Another $3,000 allocation will go to SBPS “to help create a Women in STEM Club” at the high school.

·        $3,995.95 to Cedar Area Fire & Rescue, for “needed training materials” such as mannequins and simulators.

·        $15,000 to Charlevoix Township Fire Department, for the purchase of various gear and supplies.

·        $7,917.33 to East Bay Charter Township “to purchase 3 Sapphire Infusion Pumps to go onto all units. These pumps help make sure that the right amount of medication is administered to the patient.” Another $12,781 allocation will go to East Bay Township to help fund a “total restoration plan” for the Mitchell Creek Watershed.

·        $ 14,421 to Glen Lake Fire Department “for 23 new SCBA voice amplifiers and clip attachments,” which help “improve communications between interior and exterior firefighters.”

·        $30,000 to the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners “to support Safe Haven to continue to provide safety and security to children and at-risk parents in situations of domestic violence and high conflict in the GTB six-county service area.”

·        $30,000 to the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners will “support the partnership of GT County Veterans Affairs, the United Way of NW Michigan and the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and School of Social Work to open a pediatric and veterans dental clinic based in Grand Traverse County.”

·        $15,000 to the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners to fund “The Dream Team of Northern Michigan which is a baseball league for players with disabilities ages 8-26. The project will redo the dugouts at the civic center to become more accessible.”

·        $25,000 to the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners “to build a 180-foot-long Ottaway Crossing footbridge that will span the Boardman-Ottaway River. This will provide the needed non-motorized link from the Tart Trail, Nature Center to the Keystone Soccer Complex and miles of existing trails on the East side of the river.”

·        $5,500 to the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners “for the Recycle-A-Bicycle program,” which will use the money “to provide over 50 refurbished bicycles and cable locks to program recipients in need.”

·        $10,000 to Homestead Township “to support the partnership with the Honor Area Restoration Project and SEEDS EcoCorps both non-profits that aim to protect and preserve local resources. HARP is a 52-acre park site that SEEDS has been working to improve. Funding will go to hire and train youth in Benzie and surrounding counties to help with the improvements with benefits the park and youth to build hard and soft skills.”

·        $10,000 to Lake Charlevoix EMS Authority “to purchase a Power-Pro XT MTS Cot that will raise/lower and load/unload a patient with the touch of a button.”

·        $22,000 to Leelanau County Board of Commissioners to help fund a partnership with the Child and Family Services YouthWorks program “to support Veronica Park improvements including the removal of invasive plant species including autumn olive, spotted knapweed, and glossy buckthorn.”

·        $ 13,547.50 to St. James Township “to replace old outdated cardiac monitors.”

·        $ 37,509 to Star Township “to support the Elders Advisory Organization in getting welcome bags and accessories to inform new members of the services available. Funding will also go to attending the National Indian Commission on Aging in September.”

·        $9,260.72 to the Village of Northport “to help in upgrading some existing equipment at the public bathing beach and replace with new ADA-compliant play structures.”

·        $5,670 to the Whitewater Township Fire Department “to purchase new structural firefighting helmets which are required PPE under NFPA.”

·        $2,330 to Whitewater Township “to purchase an AED with accessories and an ANSI-compliant first aid kit for Whitewater Township Park.”