The people who work at the Prairie Band Casino and Resort
like doing things for kids. With reduced
funding for public education, they decided to ask casino patrons to bring school
supplies to the casino and did they respond. “We had people with truckloads of supplies arrive
at the casino. We would help them unload
the supplies. They would get free play
for their donations,” said Casino Marketing Manager Joy Knudson.
Being the largest
school district in the area, Topeka Public Schools was the top choice of many
people. Before the August 20 school
board meeting, a large Prairie Band Casino and Resort truck pulled up in front
of the Burnett Center. Casino workers
began unloading box after box of school supplies, 44 boxes to be exact.
Ten of the big boxes of school supplies were placed in the
room where the school board meets. When
board members entered the room, they were surprised to see all the school
supplies. John Tuckwin, director of
casino marketing, told board members about the school supply drive which took
place in one day. He and his fellow
workers had their picture taken with Superintendent Dr. Julie Ford and board of
education members. It was a great way to
begin a school board meeting.
