Fall Feast — Photo by Evan Bungum, MLCV’s Digital Media Specialist
On Thursday, November 17, 2022, MLCV returned to one of its most cherished traditions, the community Fall Feast. The occasion welcomes the Mille Lacs Band Community to gather for an MLCV presentation, games, prizes, and dinner. The Fall Feast serves many functions. For some, it’s a chance to see loved ones after what may have been a year’s stretch. For others, it’s an excuse to over-indulge in a comforting meal during the season’s shift. But perhaps most importantly, no matter the guest, it marks a date for connection.
The event was paused for two years to respect health and safety during the Covid-19 pandemic. With soaring anticipation, the comeback was beyond successful. Nearly 850 visitors walked into Grand Casino Mille Lacs Events and Entertainment Center for a joy-filled evening.
Fall Feast — Photo by Evan Bungum, MLCV’s Digital Media Specialist
As community members poured in and seats began to fill, the room’s atmosphere was brimming with spirited noise – sounds of chatter, laughter, and playful holler. The celebration started with an invocation and welcome speech from MLCV leaders before jumping into a presentation focused on recent MLCV accomplishments, told by the numbers.
Fall Feast presentation
Did you know that there have been 2,432 companywide jobs created between 2020 and 2022? Or that since the May launching of MLCV’s solar array, it has produced energy equivalent to planting 63,002 trees? These are just a few of the showcased stats.
Coloring sheet contest winner
Coloring sheet contest winner
Throughout the event, 85 children participated in a coloring contest with designs inspired by the Four Seasons room at the Mille Lacs Indian Trading Post Museum. The image symbolizes the food and birch bark harvest for the preparation for winter. Two winners, Marianna, 5, and Xavier, 8, walked away with a $500 Grand Makwa Cinema gift card — enough films to warm up to well past the bite of winter’s chill.
Fall Feast dinner — Photo by Evan Bungum, MLCV’s Digital Media Specialist
MLCV volunteers — Photo by Evan Bungum, MLCV’s Digital Media Specialist
No Fall Feast would be complete without a homemade meal. Community Band Members were beyond grateful for an autumnal-inspired dinner paired with all the fixings, including pie for dessert.
MLCV HQ Corporate Building open house — Photo by Evan Bungum, MLCV’s Digital Media Specialist
MLCV HQ Corporate Building front desk — Photo by Evan Bungum, MLCV’s Digital Media Specialist
This year, to further the momentum of togetherness, MLCV opened its HQ Corporate Building doors before the Fall Feast for a first-of-its-kind open house. After collecting a welcome letter describing the building’s history and the MLCV story, guests could tour each floor, chat with MLCV Associates, and enjoy refreshments while admiring indigenous art displayed on office walls. Upon entrance, Mille Lacs Band Community Members were greeted by the striking mosaic-tiled young grass dancer, symbolizing the very presence of a generation MLCV seeks to secure.
This article was written by Hannah Torkelson, MLCV’s Brand Communication Specialist. Hannah is a storyteller and is responsible for capturing great moments within MLCV’s portfolio