Barona Keeps Meals on Wheels Rolling

Donation of 4,000-Gallon Tanker of Gas Helps Deliver Food to Seniors

SAN DIEGO, CA–(EMWNews – August 19, 2008) – The ripple effect of escalating gas prices

has had a dramatic impact on San Diego’s Meals on Wheels, which relies on

volunteers to deliver nutritious meals to seniors throughout San Diego

County. Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino provided some relief today, in

the form of a 4,000-gallon tanker of gas given to Meals on Wheels, kicking

off the Barona Tanker-A-Day Great Gas Giveaway promotion.

“The work that Meals on Wheels does for seniors in our community is really

inspiring,” said Barona Tribal Vice Chairman Charles “Beaver” Curo as

Barona’s gas tanker rolled up to Meals on Wheels’ Old Town headquarters.

“So when we realized how much they were being impacted by the rising gas

prices, it was natural for Barona to donate this first tanker of gas to

Meals on Wheels.”

Tanker-A-Day won’t create convoys of trucks rumbling in and out of the

serene Barona Valley. But from September 1 through September 27 shouts of

joy will be heard as Barona gives a lucky winner 4,000 gallons of gas each

day. And in addition to the Tanker-A-Day promotion, the Great Gas Game will

give players, via daily drawings, the chance to win $50 gas cards, $250 gas

cards or even a year’s worth of free gasoline (valued at $200 per month for

12 months).

Barona expects to give away more than 160,000 gallons, over $800,000 worth

of gas, as part of the Tanker-A-Day Great Gas Giveaway promotion. But

today’s donation, the equivalent of $20,000 worth of gas, was especially

gratifying for Barona because it will allow Meals on Wheels to deliver over

72,000 meals into the homes of San Diego seniors in need.

“We are very grateful to receive this donation from Barona,” said William

A. Burzynski, Board Chair, Meals-on-Wheels Greater San Diego, Inc. “In this

time of high gas prices, increased food costs and fewer community

donations, this wonderful contribution will allow Meals on Wheels to offset

some of the escalated costs involved in the delivery of hot meals to our

seniors in need.”

The mission of Meals-on-Wheels Greater San Diego Inc. is to support the

independence and well being of seniors. This mission is accomplished

through the delivery of nutritious meals to those who are unable to meet

their own daily nutritional needs. The average age of a Meals-on-Wheels

recipient is 80 and about 84% are considered low-income. Meals-on-Wheels

home delivers two meals a day, seven days a week, including special diets,

to seniors age 60 and over, throughout San Diego County. For more

information, visit www.meals-on-wheels.org.

“The Tanker-A-Day promotion is a fun and exciting way for Barona and our

players to deal with rising gas prices,” said Rick Salinas, General Manager

of Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino. “But it’s equally as exciting for

us to be able to help Meals on Wheels continue to serve the community as

they do.”

Ranked highest in customer satisfaction in the J.D. Power and Associates’

2008 Southern California Indian Gaming Casino Satisfaction Study, Barona

Valley Ranch Resort & Casino blends the best of San Diego’s most elegant

resorts with the gaming excitement of Las Vegas. Barona is San Diego’s

leading destination resort featuring 400 luxury guest rooms and suites,

nine award-winning restaurants, the AmBience Day Spa, a full-service events

center, and the 18-hole championship Barona Creek Golf Club, rated the 3rd

best resort course in California by Golfweek magazine. For current

progressive amounts and Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino reservations

and information, visit www.barona.com or call toll free 888-7-BARONA

(722-7662).

The J.D. Power and Associates SCIGC Study explores casino players’ entire

gaming experience, from arrival at the casino to cashing out their chips.

The inaugural study provides a single measure to assess the levels of

overall player satisfaction among casinos located throughout Southern

California.

Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino received the highest numerical score

among casinos with a minimum of 2,000 slot machines in the proprietary J.D.

Power and Associates 2008 Southern California Indian Gaming Casino

Satisfaction Study(SM). Study based on responses from 1,766 responses from

gaming players who visited an Indian casino in Southern California between

December 2007 and June 2008. Proprietary study results are based on

experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed in May-June 2008. Your

experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com.