Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort and Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel donated a total of $15,000 to WNC Communities for our 74th WNC Honors Awards in 2023. Their generous contribution helped add up to the total $64,000 raised for the WNC Honors Awards, which is distributed directly to our 67 member communities to support their rural development efforts.
“It is gratifying to see our Western North Carolina communities recognizing the needs of our residents and supporting them through relevant programs that make a difference,” said Leeann Bridges of Harrah’s Cherokee. “The joy and selflessness of the community clubs recognized was evident, as was the commitment to educate and inspire future leaders to carry on the tradition of service to others.”
Donations from Harrah’s and our other sponsors goes directly to community centers across fourteen Western North Carolina counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, which this year represented over 68,000 households. In the last year, over 7,900 volunteers contributed an impressive 128,456 hours of their time to assist their communities. Their efforts include everything from serving critical needs through food pantries, providing emergency assistance for families experiencing hardship, and bringing resources to their communities such as Wi-Fi access, libraries, thrift stores, educational classes, and rental space for small businesses. These clubs also provide a rare place in our rural areas for people to gather and connect over monthly dinners, holiday celebrations, annual festivals, and many other creative opportunities to socialize.
We are grateful for Harrah’s continued investment in our community’s efforts to support the social, ecological, and economic health of our beloved mountain region. Thank you to Harrah’s Cherokee for your donation and for your support of our rural communities!
Pictured above are Jimmy Cowan, Chair of WNC Communities’ board receiving the check from Lumpy Lambert, General Manager of Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel.
If your business is interested in becoming a sponsor of our 75th WNC Honors Awards, please contact our Executive Director, Jennifer Ferre, at (828) 252-4783.