Black Oak Hits The Jackpot

Tuolumne, CA – Black Oak Casino Resort won a national recognition for two of its charity efforts that help seniors and lets local organizations grab some cash.

The casino won the “Tribal Spirit of Giving Awards” at the Raving’s 18th Indian Gaming National Marketing Conference in San Diego last month. The awards are in recognition of programs and events that work towards the betterment of their communities. Black Oak Casino Resort Chief Executive Officer Ron Patel had this reaction, “Very pleased and honored to get the awards. It’s rewarding for us and rewarding for the work that everyone puts in, whether it’s from the resort, the tribe or other businesses including everybody in the community that helps us with these events.”

Black Oak won first place for its “Meals & Wheels for Meals on Wheels” program, which is held in August at Railtown 1897 in Jamestown. The dinner and live auction raised more than $100,000 last year. The casino also walked away with a second place trophy for its “Community Grab for Cash” program. Each holiday season the resort selects ten charities in Tuolumne and Calaveras counties to have a representative get inside a cash cube and grab for a share of $5,000.  Patel says the key factors that made these events stand out, “That they weren’t just one-offs. They were events that we have been holding for a number of years. Also, that there is a thread across a number of charitable and non-profit organizations, especially the Meals on Wheels. It touches everyone in the community.”

View the unique trophies in the upper left-hand image box, which are also on display at the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians Tribal Hall.