JDRF is pleased to honor The Barona Band of Misson Indians. The Barona Band is recognized by the United States Government as a sovereign government. They had been living in peacefully in San Diego County for thousands of years before the Spanish soldiers and missionaries arrived in the late 1700s.

In 1932, after more then 200 years of hardship, members of that tribe bought the Barona Ranch which today is the Barona Indian Reservation near Lakeside, about 30 miles northeast of San Diego. Until the early 1990s, the Barona Tribe lived on their own land but were still struggling economically in the backwoods of San Diego County. In 1994, the tribe, with the consulting guidance of Venture Catalyst, opened the Barona Casino "Big Top."

The casino has become the means to a restoration of self-sufficiency, prosperity and renewed hope. Unemployment and welfare dependency have dropped from 70 percent to zero on the Barona reservation. Indian gaming has made possible a number of economic improvements on the Barona reservation, including educational opportunities, renovations to the Community Center, full emergency services, a $3.3 million waste water treatment plant, and $2.5 million in road construction and infrastructure on the reservation.

Indian gaming is the cornerstone on which tribes such as Barona have begun to build a community, renew their culture and share their good fortune with others. The impact of such a reversal from poverty and despair is likely to impact many future generations. Through Indian gaming revenues, the Barona tribe is now able to provide its members with the basic needs any government should provide its people, including the Barona Community Center, Barona School, Barona Fire Station, Barona Gas Station and a Church/War Memorial.

Sharing is a Native American tradition - one that dates back centuries. The Barona Band still carries that tradition on today. They use Indian gaming revenues to take care of their own and to make a difference for charitable organizations throughout the San Diego region. Since 1994, Barona Casino has donated over $3 million in charitable contributions to hundreds of organizations in San Diego County. Barona also held a job fair at the San Diego Homeless Shelter to recruit casino employees and has shared approximately $6 million in casino revenues with 14 other tribes that don't have a business enterprise.

Barona has been a generous contributor to JDRF for several years, sponsoring the Promise Ball and Walk to Cure Diabetes, as well as having a strong Walk Team, led by member LeLanie Thompson and her family. The JDRF office has taken to quoting LeLanie’s saying “it’s all good!” on a regular basis. She has brought many smiles to the local staff. JDRF thanks Barona for all of their support, and for bringing this year’s incredible Promise Ball partnership to us.

Guiding the Barona Band of Mission Indians into a new era of self-sufficiency, prosperity and philanthropy, Chairwoman Rhonda Welch-Scalco represents a new generation of Tribal leader. Intent on taking her Tribe to the next level, she embodies the leadership skills, experience and appreciation for her Tribe’s heritage and culture that are helping to shape a modern Tribal government.

She took office as Chairwoman on January 3, 2005 after serving on the Barona Gaming Commission from 2000 to 2002. The Commission regulates the Tribe’s major economic engine, the Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino, in tandem with state and federal government regulatory agencies.

A destined leader, Chairwoman Welch-Scalco follows in the footsteps of her family, several of whom have loyally served Tribal governments. Her great-grandfather, Bob Quitac, served as a Tribal Chairman of the Barona Tribe. Her grandmother and mother also served their Tribes as Chairwomen. In addition, her father served two terms as Vice Chairman of the Barona Tribe and her uncle served two terms as the Barona Tribe’s Chairman.

A champion of education, the environment and healthcare, Chairwoman Welch-Scalco has helped expand Barona’s philanthropic profile and elevated the Tribe’s tradition of sharing as a way to touch more lives than ever before.

Over the past two years, the Barona Tribe contributed more than $3 million to 600 charities in San Diego County. Barona’s contributions have benefited organizations and causes that support senior citizen programs, at-risk youth, fire safety, education, healthcare, medical research assistance and the environment.

One noteworthy program that was developed and launched during the first part of her term in office is the Barona Education Grant program. Launched in 2006, the program is the first of its kind in California. Since its inception, the Tribe has awarded over $400,000 to 80 schools statewide. Through the endorsement of elected state representatives, California schools can apply for $5,000 grants to purchase much-needed supplies that promote academic improvement, including books and computers. The program has been endorsed by the State of California’s Superintendent of Education, Jack O’Connell and dozens of schools throughout the state.

In the healthcare arena, Chairwoman Welch-Scalco and her Tribal Council have also encouraged expanded support of Sharp Grossmont Hospital which provides services to residents in East County. Last year, the Tribe contributed $1 million to support the hospital’s Cardiac and Endovascular Services. The donation, made in memory of the Tribe’s beloved Vice Chairman Donald “Tiny” LaChappa, was memorialized with a mural and bust honoring him. This memorial now stands in the ICU atrium in the hospital's new emergency and critical care center.

Chairwoman Welch-Scalco has also joined other government leaders in promoting and supporting causes in support of a sustainable environment. The Tribe received a prestigious national award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its water conservation efforts at the 2007 National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards. Earth Works San Diego honored Barona with The Environmental Achievement Earth Award in recognition of the Tribe’s implementation of an innovative and extensive conservation program. Additionally, the Barona Creek Golf Club was awarded Bronze Signature Sanctuary Certification from Audubon International for conservation, environmental quality and land management. For several consecutive years, Barona has also won a Diamond Award from the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) for its commuter program.

Ensuring the health and well-being of San Diego’s Tribal community is also of paramount importance to Chairwoman Welch-Scalco. After the devastating wildfires in San Diego in October 2007, Chairwoman Welch-Scalco demonstrated her strength as a leader as she helped her Tribe, her community and the Tribal business through the devastating effects of the natural disaster. In addition, she and her Tribal Council were among the first to reach out a helping hand to the La Jolla Tribe in their efforts to clean up and rebuild homes on the reservation.

Off the Barona Indian reservation, Chairwoman Welch-Scalco is equally committed to education and the health and welfare of local youth. Her involvement with local organizations allows her to put her own education into practice.

Her purpose and passion is guided by a dual bachelor’s degree in child development and psychology from California State Northridge and a master’s degree in special education from San Diego State University, with an emphasis on the growth and development of children from newborns to three years of age. She is currently working to earn her Ph.D. at the University of California, Riverside.

Since 1993, Chairwoman Welch-Scalco has served as an Infant Development Specialist at both the Southern Indian Health Council in Alpine and the Logan Heights Family Health Center in San Diego.

Chairwoman Welch-Scalco was honored in 2006 with a prestigious Monty Award from San Diego State University for her leadership. The annual awards are presented to distinguished SDSU alumni and faculty based on success, exceptional achievement and contributions to the University.