Pechanga Announces Actions to Assist Fire Evacuees

The Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians has opened the doors of its Riverside County casino to evacuees of the Southern California wildfires, still burning as I type.  Read about it in the San Diego Union Trib, or click through for the Press Release.

PECHANGA INDIAN RESERVATION, Calif., Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- The
Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians today announced the following actions in
response to the fire-related evacuations affecting North San Diego County
and portions of Riverside County.

The Pechanga Tribe will be donating $100,000 to support fire relief
efforts. The Pechanga Resort & Casino has given out more than 200 rooms
each night on both Tuesday and Wednesday at no cost or discounted rates to
families displaced by the fires and to accommodate firefighters.

Additionally, Pechanga Resort & Casino has opened our facilities to the
Red Cross and has placed cots in eight meeting rooms and one ballroom to
accommodate additional people displaced by the fires. All registered
evacuees are receiving free meals.

Tribal officials have made arrangements to have emergency medical
technicians and Indian Health Services (IHS) healthcare providers onsite to
help any evacuees with medical conditions.

On Tuesday afternoon, members of the Pechanga Tribal Council personally
delivered more than a dozen cases of water, soft drinks, snacks, and salads
to the Red Cross shelter at the Temecula Valley High School.

Members of the Pechanga Tribe have also taken it upon themselves to
support relief efforts. Tribal members have purchased clothing, games for
children, toys, shoes, baby diapers, and other essential items for
displaced families.

The Pechanga Tribe took similar actions when it accommodated several
hundred people affected by the Southern California Fires of 2003.

"Pechanga has a history of helping in times of need," said Tribal
Chairman Mark Macarro. "We do what we can to help our community."