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ELMHURST – Mayor Steve Morley declared Tuesday Mohegan Tribe of the great Salt Creek Nation day in Elmhurst by official proclamation.
Claire Linden, a volunteer with the Oakbrook Terrace Salvation Army, also presented the Mohegan Tribe Indian Princesses with a traveling trophy for their fundraising efforts as holiday bell-ringers.
"When we went bell-ringing, we had to sing songs," Stella Kohl, 8, said of the one-day event.
Members of the father-daughter organization took turns standing outside of the Jewel Osco at 153 Schiller St. Dec. 7 last year for seven hours collecting $892.21.
"It's really great to see young people helping out because we can always use the help," Linden said.
The tribe made up of 50 fathers and 53 daughters ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade has been participating in the Salvation Army's annual bell-ringing fundraiser for the past three years and hopes to win the trophy again next year.
"It was freezing," Madison Adelsbach, 8, said of the weather in December during the fundraiser. But she was happy their efforts paid off so well.
Aside from that fundraiser, the tribe participates in father-daughter outings like camping and horseback riding, as well as charity work like packaging meals for Feed My Starving Children and collecting toys for Toys for Tots.
"It's nice to see the kids taking on the values that their parents have," Mohegan Chief Christopher Kodosky said of the girls' fundraising success.
As proud as the princesses were of their work braving the bitter cold and singing holiday tunes in exchange for donations last year, they consistently named one person as their favorite part about being an Indian Princess.
"I like being with my dad," said 8-year-old Jackson Elementary student Sidney Ashby.
Her thoughts were echoed by one daughter after another.