COLUSA, CA (MPG) – Finding need in Colusa County is not difficult for the Colusa Indian Community Council. When they see where they can help, they have a straightforward way to address it.
On March 27, Cachil Dehe Wintun tribal leaders once again provided local organizations with significant funding to help them succeed with their missions and goals.
“We make many charitable donations to different organizations, not just nonprofit organizations but families,” said Tribal Chairman Wayne “Rick” Mitchum Jr. “It is not something we brag about, but it’s something the tribe does; it is something the casino does. We want to help anyway we can.”
The tribe’s generosity often goes unnoticed, but after successfully renegotiating a method for distributing gaming funds directly to the local community instead of allowing them to flow to the state, their awarding of transformational funding is celebrated with great enthusiasm.
Just six months after two local non-profit organizations and two public safety organizations each received $50,000 from the CICC, representatives of the Colusa Area Little League, Grimes Civic Association, and Grimes Cemetery District found themselves on the smiling side of the large ceremonial checks.
“This is game-changing for us,” said Lance Swift, of the Grimes Civic Association, after the Grimes community accepted $48,000 to upgrade the town’s historic Scout Cabin.
The Grimes Scout Cabin was built in 1952 and has been the central hub for the community, serving as a gathering place for scouting activities and social events.
The local Wintun has a strong historic connection with Grimes. The native people lived in the region along the Sacramento River for thousands of years, developing a rich culture deeply connected to the land and its natural resources. Historically, the Wintun thrived as skilled hunters, gatherers, and fishers, using the diverse ecosystems to sustain their communities.
Grimes, Colusa, and Princeton were all built on higher ground on the sites of former Wintun villages, Mitchum said.
Mitchum and Tribal Vice-Chair Amanda Mitchum presented the donations at tribal administrative headquarters, located in the Cachil DeHe Village complex, next to the Colusa Casino and Resort on Highway 45, north of Colusa.
With a $50,000 donation, the Grimes Cemetery District plans to update its record-keeping system and provide onsite access to information and gravesites locations.
“We want to build a pavilion, and I would like to put up some kind of (marker) as a thank you to our Native Americans,” Marie Willoh said. “We are so appreciative of their assistance.”
Colusa Area Little League players accepted the biggest contribution from the tribe to date, receiving $100,000 to help the league realize their dream to build a new ball field in Colusa.
Colusa’s Call Field has served several generations of little leaguers for more than 60 years, but new facilities are needed to provide a better environment for local players and their families, representatives said. The project is part of ongoing efforts to support community engagement and promote recreational activities in the area.
Although the Wintun people in Colusa County faced significant challenges during the colonial period, they have persevered and continue to advocate for their rights and cultural heritage in modern times.
“We are still continuing our cultural practices,” Rick Mitchum said. “We still gather upon the hills at certain times of the year. We still gather at the coast. You know, it’s just a way of life. It’s an echo in time.”
In addition to gaming, the Colusa Wintun Tribe has multiple medical facilities, located in Colusa and at the Wellness Center on Highway 45, north of the city, including family practice, pediatric care, dental, physical therapy, and optometry, among other services. A new medical facility is under construction on Main Street in the former Chung Sun Market. The tribe also engages in farming and energy production.
The tribe’s successful business practices have allowed the Wintun people to give back to the community they too are a part of, Mitchum said.