BAY ST. LOUIS, MS. – One doesn’t have to look far around Hancock County to find someone in need. While approximately nine out of 10 cast members lost most everything they own, they still find the time and money to help others around them. In many cases, it’s each other.
 Hollywood Casino cast members actively participate in numerous non-profit fundraising and volunteer efforts year round including the Hancock Food Pantry, United Way, Red Cross Blood Drives, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, March of Dimes, Camp Civitan and more.
Last Thanksgiving, Hollywood Casino donated more than 700 meals to feed the hungry during the holidays, including entire families.
Hollywood Casino employees have also established a Section 501c(3) non-profit organization called Hollywood Cast Member Relief Fund (HCMRF) to raise funding for helping co-workers facing financial hardship for a variety of reasons such as terminal illnesses, devastating home fires, and life altering disabilities.
Last Thanksgiving, Hollywood Casino donated more than 700 meals to feed the hungry during the holidays, including entire families.
Hollywood Casino employees have also established a Section 501c(3) non-profit organization called Hollywood Cast Member Relief Fund (HCMRF) to raise funding for helping co-workers facing financial hardship for a variety of reasons such as terminal illnesses, devastating home fires, and life altering disabilities.
 Perhaps the best known outreach effort is Camp Civitan. Camp Civitan is a non-profit organization dedicated to individuals with developmental disabilities.
Every year, Hollywood cast members entertain more than 110 adult Civitan Campers with a casino night in Wiggins, MS. These campers enjoy Black Jack, where they play for fun and prizes purchased with play money. “Last summer was the fourteenth time our employees volunteered to host casino night,” said organizer and Hollywood employee Judy Brockhaus. “Most of our employees volunteer every summer. It’s contagious,” said Brockhaus.
Hollywood Casino Bay St. Louis shuttles employees to the camp and back with a caravan of employee family members following closely to lend their support for these outstanding campers.
“I look forward to this evening every year. You can just see the joy and excitement we’re bringing to the campers,” said Gwen Crawford, a house person for Hollywood.
“I think we probably enjoy casino night as much or more than the campers do,” said Maria Salter, human resources trainer.
 When the new $280 million Bay St. Louis Bridge re-opened last May, after being destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, it only seemed appropriate that a W.C.1- 30J Hurricane Hunter aircraft played a major part in the celebration of the ribbon tying ceremony and after party called “Bridge Fest.” The same aircraft that flew into the eye of Katrina to gather life saving information leading to a mass evacuation using the former bridge for the last time flew over the new bridge at the moment officials tied a ribbon on the middle kicking off this historical occasion.
 Hollywood Casino was the leading sponsor and a principal organizer in hosting the huge open-air festival with the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce. “Our community needed this extraordinary party,” said Bob Davidge, advertising and public relations manager. “I can’t even begin to tell you how many people came up to me to express their gratitude during the festival and I received a number of emails and letters as well,” said Davidge.
 Now, known as southern Mississippi’s most successful event ever, the bridge-opening ceremony attracted international media attention on May 17, 2007, the Coast was reconnected for the first time since Katrina made landfall August 29, 2006. With just three weeks to prepare, Hollywood Casino provided tables, hot food, tables, shuttle services, countless hours of employee services and a magnificent hot air balloon for a crowd estimated to be more than 10,000 people.
 The opening ceremony began at the foot of the new bridge on the Bay St. Louis side where federal, state, and local officials spoke to the public on stage before moving to the middle of the bridge for the ribbon tying, a blessing by local clergy of various religious denominations, and the dropping of a floral wreath to recognize those who died in the hurricane.
 Each year, Hollywood Casino cast members join millions across the country in the fight against muscular dystrophy. To at least one cast member the fight is very personal. Assistant Buffet Manager Victoria Penny son Colby has limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. Colby is 12 years-old and goes to Bayou View middle school in Gulfport.
Hollywood Casino Bay St. Louis sponsors an hour of the local telethon on WLOX-TV and cast members volunteer on the phone bank taking pledges during local and national cuts in from the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon live from Las Vegas, Nevada.
 Hollywood Casino Bay St. Louis holds two to three blood drives with the American Red Cross in the Cypress Ball Room. This is especially important during the holiday season in order to build the blood supply for our hospitals and for unexpected emergency purposes. All blood collected stays in Mississippi to help those in our area.
These are just a few examples of the outstanding collective effort and generosity of Hollywood’s cast members. Many of them also actively volunteer on an individual level too. We’re very proud of our warm spirited and caring cast members who truly differentiate our property from the competition both inside and out.
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