ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - Sky River Casino announced the winners of its fourth Annual Wreaths of Hope, a holiday program that celebrates creativity, community spirit and giving back.

As part of the most recent program this past holiday season, Sky River Casino donated a total of $25,000 to deserving organizations. To date, Sky River Casino has donated a total of $80,000 to local charities as part of the Wreaths of Hope program over the last four years.

Sky River Rewards members voted throughout December 2025 for their favorite decorated 48-inch wreaths, which were displayed across the casino. An incredible 41,495 votes were cast, showcasing the community’s passion for supporting local causes during the holiday season.

 

Group photo of all the organizations that participated in Sky River Casino’s fourth Annual Wreaths of Hope program on Jan. 20. 

The 2025 Wreaths of Hope competition showcased 10 deserving nonprofits from the Elk Grove and Sacramento County community. Each organization received $2,000 just for participating in the program.

The top three winners, which earned the most votes, received additional cash prizes to further support their missions. Prize totals follow for the top three winners: First place, Elk Grove Food Bank ($4,500 prize total); Second place, Paws for a Purpose ($3,500 prize total); and third place, Cosumnes Firefighters Community Support Foundation ($3,000 prize total).

The 10 charities that participated in the 4th Annual Wreaths of Hope included Asian Resources Inc., Chicks in Crisis, Cosumnes Firefighters Community Support Foundation, Elk Grove Food Bank, End of Watch Fund, My Sister’s House, Paws for a Purpose, Project R.I.D.E., Runnin’ with Rhett and Wilton Animal Rescue.

 

Pictured from left are Sky River Casino President Michael J. Facenda and June and Arnie LaVine of Paws for a Purpose, which earned second place and a $3,500 prize to support emergency pet care funding for Sacramento County residents. 

“With each successive year, I’m more amazed and impressed with the creativity that our nonprofit partners put into decorating their wreaths for our Wreaths of Hope program,” said Sky River President Casino Michael J. Facenda.

“We are proud to connect with the community in this meaningful way that has resulted in donations totaling $80,000 for the nonprofit community over the last four years. We also want to give a special shout-out to our Sky River Rewards members for taking the time to vote and show their support for these incredible causes,” Facenda added.

Sky River Casino was built by the Wilton Rancheria in partnership with Boyd Gaming Corporation, which is building and managing the property for the tribe. The casino opened in August 2022 and includes 100,000 square feet of gaming, 2,100 slot machines, 80 table games and 17 bars and restaurants. To learn more, visit SkyRiver.com.

 

Sky River Casino announced Jan. 20 that the Cosumnes Firefighters Community Support Foundation was the third-place recipient of its fourth annual Wreaths of Hope program, earning a $3,000 award.