Stillaguamish Tribe donates $100K to holiday toy program
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, December 13, 2016
ARLINGTON — Operation Christmas Hope, a local group that provides holiday children’s presents to area families, was the recipient of a gift itself Monday — a $100,000 donation from the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians.
“We really like to focus on children, elders and things that bring the community together,” said Shawn Yanity, tribal chairman.
Tina Davis, one of the volunteer leaders of Operation Christmas Hope, was told the group was receiving a donation, but had no idea of its size, she said.
She had asked a fellow volunteer, Verna Mines, president of the auxiliary for American Legion Post 76 in Arlington, to accompany her to the meeting with Yanity and Eric White, the tribe’s vice chairman.
“We were both speechless,” Davis said of learning of the amount of the donation.
“I still can’t believe it,” she said. “I can’t even say it — $100,000.”
The organization began as Toys for Kids, an effort by a retired Marine who was a member of the American Legion Post, Mines said. Over the past few years, its name changed to Operation Christmas Hope.
White, the tribe’s vice chairman, said last year a toy drive was conducted for the group at the tribe’s employee Christmas party. “What we liked about them is they’re a local group,” he said.
The toys and gifts go to families who use local food banks in the Arlington, Darrington, Oso areas.
Giving trees are set up in Arlington-area banks where people can bring toys, gifts and gift cards. Those are taken to the Arlington Boys and Girls Club where parents can select gifts for their children. There’s also stocking stuffers, books and games.
Operation Christmas Hope tries to assist 700 to 800 children each year, Davis said.
“We’re making sure every child has something,” she said. The effort requires at least $10,000 in gifts and donations.
A number of groups throughout Snohomish County make donations to food banks and other nonprofit organizations to help local families during the holidays.
One of those efforts, Christmas House, is based at the Everett Boys and Girls Club and is open through Saturday. The room there is filled with toys for babies, children and teens. It expects to serve an estimated 8,500 kids from 3,000 low-income families this year.
Money for the tribe’s donation to Operation Christmas Hope comes from proceeds from its Angel of the Winds Casino in Arlington, Yanity said. The tribe has been active in making donations to local groups over the years, such as $200,000 following the Oso mudslide in 2014 that went in part to helping local fire departments replace gear and supplies, Yanity said.
Davis said the nonprofit will need time to sit down and think about how the tribal donation will be used. “It’s a good problem to have,” she said.
The group is run entirely by volunteers. “It will all go back into the community,” Davis said.
Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486; salyer@heraldnet.com
