Behind the Brand - Turtle Creek Casino

By Amanda Renkiewicz

It’s one of the area’s top places to play and stay, and it’s a major supporter of the veteran community: the thrilling Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel. The casino provides an impressive 56,000 square foot space, a full-service sportsbook, contemporary accommodations, and endless dining options, from a high-end steakhouse to a casual buffet.

The perfect northern Michigan getaway recently worked with Veterans in Crisis for a donation to their organization, presenting a check for over $4,000. Their donation will help Northern Michigan veterans who have been honorably or medically discharged with financial, mental health, and job support programs. “Veterans in Crisis is a veteranled group that rapidly serves those who have honorably served us. The money will be used as a “hand up” for needs such as rent assistance, medical bills, vehicle repairs, and more, for our veterans living in the 21-county area of Northern Michigan and the Eastern U.P.,” said Founding Board Member Steven Ezell, who accepted the check on behalf of Veterans in Crisis.

The funds were raised through the Cash In On Kindness collection initiative at both Turtle Creek and Leelanau Sands casinos, with guests donating their change for a change.

The Cash In On Kindness program began in February of 2020 with a collection for the American Heart Association, and was placed on hold due to the casinos closure due to COVID-19. The program was reinstated to assist with the community needs, including The Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities, who received $3,866.51 to provide roughly 2,000 pounds of food to local communities directly from local farmers. November’s collection serviced the Father Fred Toys For Tots Campaign and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians Food Pantries.

Turtle Creek Casino also assisted with coordinating a Silver Star recipient to reunite with his lieutenant and the sergeant whose life he saved. They had last seen each other fifty years prior in Vietnam when Sgt. William French was shot. “I took a bullet through my voice box and out my back,” he recalled. Private Joseph “Doc” Safina improvised medical relief through a ball-point pen, and along with Platoon leader Coll Tom Lopresti assisted him to a helicopter to receive care. Although decades passed without knowing what happened, the men were recently reunited. Their gratitude for each other was evident and inspirational. It was a special moment made possible through careful coordination and planning with the casino.

Through their charitable giving, the casino makes a difference in countless Michigan veterans’ and families’ lives. Along with the many amenities at Turtle Creek and Leelanau Sands Casinos, they offer a monthly appreciation promotion for veterans on the first Wednesday of each month.

https://www.turtlecreekcasino. com/promotions/veteransappreciation-day