Pokagon Band of Potawatomi and its Four Winds Casinos Donate Proceeds from the 2023 Four Winds Invitational to Beacon Children’s Hospital

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SOUTH BEND, Ind. – January 10, 2024 – The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and its Four Winds® Casinos are pleased to announce that a donation of $100,000 was presented to Beacon Children’s Hospital today during a check presentation ceremony.  The donation is a result of the proceeds from the 2023 Four Winds Invitational which took place from August 10 through 12 at South Bend Country Club.  Beacon Children’s Hospital will use the funds for a GlideScope® airway visualization system to help with intubation of patients and two Panda™ Warmers with resuscitation equipment for infant care.  The Four Winds Invitational is part of the Epson Tour, which enters its 44^th year of structured competition in 2024 and is the most established women’s qualifying tour in the world as the one “Road to the LPGA.”

“The Pokagon Band is very proud of our continued sponsorship of the Four Winds Invitational and our annual donations to Beacon Health System and Beacon Children’s Hospital, which now total $992,500 over the past twelve years,” said Rebecca Richards, Tribal Chairwoman for the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi.  “We would like to thank everyone who was involved in supporting the tournament and helped to make this donation possible including the LPGA Epson Tour, South Bend Country Club and its members, our sponsors, team members, volunteers, and vendors.  We are also excited to announce that the 2024 Four Winds Invitational will take place from Friday, August 30 through Sunday, September 1 at South Bend Country Club.”

Clayton Mason, Interim-Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Four Winds Casinos added, “We couldn’t be more proud of our Four Winds team members and partners who have worked tirelessly to host a successful tournament every year since the Four Winds Invitational was first established in 2012.  2024 will mark the 13^th edition of the tournament and we look forward to another great event in August!”

Jen Tonkovich, Director of Women and Children’s Services for Beacon Health System said, “We are very thankful for our long-term partnership with the Pokagon Band, its Four Winds Casinos, and all of the donors that have generously supported the Four Winds Invitational over the years.  This collective effort and shared passion for helping others continues to make a difference in our efforts to provide lifesaving and critical healthcare to patients and families in the region.”

About the Four Winds Invitational
The Four Winds® Invitational was established in 2012 as part of the Road to the LPGA® and is sponsored by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and its Four Winds® Casinos.  The tournament features a field of professional women golfers from around the world.  More information is available at:  http://fourwindsinvitational.com/.

About The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians of Michigan and Indiana
The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi’s sovereignty was reaffirmed under legislation signed into law by President Clinton in September of 1994.  The Pokagon Band is dedicated to providing community development initiatives such as housing, education, family services, medical care, and cultural preservation for its more than 6,000 citizens.  The Pokagon Band’s ten-county service area includes four counties in Southwestern Michigan and six in Northern Indiana.  Its main administrative offices are located in Dowagiac, Mich., with a satellite office in South Bend, Ind.  In 2007, it opened Four Winds Casino Resort in New Buffalo, Mich., followed by Four Winds Hartford in 2011, Four Winds Dowagiac in 2013 and Four Winds South Bend in January 2018.  The Pokagon Band operates a variety of non-gaming businesses through its investment enterprises, Mno-Bmadsen and the Pokagon Development Authority.  More information is available at www.pokagonband-nsn.gov, www.fourwindscasino.com and www.mno-bmadsen.com.

About the Epson Tour
The Epson Tour is the official qualifying tour of the LPGA Tour, the world’s leading competitive destination for female professional golfers.  With the support of entitlement partner Seiko Epson Corporation, the Tour, entering into its 44th competitive season in 2024, aims to prepare the world’s best female professional golfers for a successful career on the LPGA Tour.  In the last decade, the Epson Tour has grown from 15 tournaments and $1.6 million in total prize money to hosting more than 20 events and awarding $5 million in 2023.  With more than 600 graduates and alumnae moving on to the LPGA Tour, former Epson Tour players have won 480 LPGA titles.

Follow the Epson Tour at www.epsontour.com, as well as on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Media Contact:
David Gutierrez, for the Pokagon Band and its Four Winds Casinos, (312) 780-7204, dgutierrez@dresnerco.com