Amador County – The Jackson Rancheria Band of Miwuk Indians dedicated the Margaret Dalton Children’s Center Thursday, marking the first Casino Founder’s Day in honor of their late Tribal Chairwoman.

About 200 people attended the dedication, which began when Jackson Rancheria Chief Executive Officer Rich Hoffman introduced the tribal members of the Jackson Rancheria Band of Miwuk Indians, who picked the special day of February 9, the birthday of the late Margaret Dalton, to dedicate the building to both honor Dalton’s memory and to mark the first Founder’s Day at the Jackson Rancheria Casino.

A ribbon was cut by Tribal Council members, Chairman Bo Marks, Adam Dalton and Robert Dalton III, dedicating the building and a carved wooden sign in the front, with the center’s name and a relief design of an oak tree. The center is named for the former Tribal Leader in honor of her lifetime commitment to the children and youths of Amador County.

Margaret Dalton was the first leader and Chairwoman of the Jackson Rancheria Band of Miwuk Indians, presiding over the tribe’s business transformation from operating a small bingo parlor to owning and operating the world-class Jackson Rancheria Casino, Hotel and Conference Center, and status as Amador County’s largest employer.

It was Margaret Dalton’s dedication to the children of Amador County that began the idea of the Children’s Center. The property was purchased by the Rancheria about 10 years ago, originally planned to be a recovery center, and finally became the Margaret Dalton Children’s Center. It opened early last October and now houses three non-profit agencies. Hoffman introduced one of those agency directors, Nina Machado.

Machado gave her thanks to the Jackson Rancheria for being partners with her First 5 Amador in opening the center. Located at 975 Broadway Street in Jackson, the Center is home to the Amador Parent Cooperative Preschool, and the offices of First 5 Amador and the Amador County Child Abuse Prevention Council.

Dedication attendees included Jackson Rancheria Director of Entertainment and Events, Ron Olivero; members of Amador County Board of Supervisors and Jackson City Council; local business leaders; the public; regional non-profits; and members of the Jackson Rancheria, including construction staff who helped refurbish the Children’s Center.

The Center features a gated entrance and a play area outside for Preschoolers, where the children were playing during the start of the ribbon cutting ceremony. Attendance was such that cars lined the south side of Broadway from Clinton Road to the entrance to St. Sava Mission.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.