FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 29, 2020

Gun Lake Tribe Donates $500,000 of CARES Act Money to Local Schools and Allegan County 

Money will help keep schools safe, and fund local vaccination effort  

Bradley, Michigan – Today, the Gun Lake Tribe announced donations that total $500,000 to several local schools and the Allegan County government to assist in mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic.  The donations come from the Tribe’s Coronavirus Relief Fund pursuant to the federal CARES Act.  The donations will fund school safety mitigation efforts, and a county mobile vaccination unit.

“We are happy to provide our friends and neighbors with additional funding during these very difficult times,” said Bob Peters, Chairman.  “The mobile vaccination unit will play an important role in getting our community back to normal, but in the meantime helping to keep our local schoolteachers and students safe is the next best thing.”

The Tribal Council recently decided to forego $500,000 of CARES Act money to instead distribute $25,000 each to eleven local school districts.  Allegan County will receive $225,000 to purchase a mobile vaccination unit that will provide area residents with a COVID-19 vaccine once one is available to the general public.

“The donation of the Mobile Clinic serves as another example of the support the Gun Lake Tribe provides for the overall Allegan County community.  The Mobile Clinic will be an instrumental tool to help bring various public health services closer to the community during the COVID-19 pandemic and long after,” Robert J. Sarro, Allegan County Administrator.

School districts face many challenges in continuing educational services in a safe environment.  Schools can use relief funds to expand broadband capacity, hire new teachers, develop online curriculum, acquire computers and digital devices, and install ventilation and air filtration equipment.

“Allegan County school districts, like all districts nationwide, are being faced with unprecedented situations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The generosity of the Gun Lake Tribe will help ease the financial burden associated with remote learning, PPE, and sanitation procedures.  We sincerely thank the Gun Lake Tribe for their unwavering support,” William Brown, Superintendent, Allegan Area Educational Service Agency.

Gun Lake Tribe CARES Act money will be distributed as follows:

Allegan County Mobile Vaccination Unit                      $225,000

Allegan AESA                                                              $25,000

Allegan Public Schools                                                 $25,000

Fennville Public Schools                                               $25,000

Glenn Public School                                                    $25,000

Hamilton Public Schools                                               $25,000

Hopkins Public Schools                                                $25,000

Martin Public Schools                                                   $25,000

Otsego Public Schools                                                  $25,000

Plainwell Community Schools                                       $25,000

Saugatuck Public Schools                                              $25,000

Wayland Union Schools                                                $25,000

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About Gun Lake Tribe

The Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians (Gun Lake Tribe) has a rich history in West Michigan and a close connection to the land.  The Bradley Indian Mission, located near Wayland, is the historic residential and cultural center point of the tribal community.  The Tribe’s ancestors, and political predecessors, signed treaties with the United States government dating back to 1795.  The Tribe was re-affirmed to federal recognition in 1999.  For more information about the Tribe visit https://gunlaketribe-nsn.gov/.