SMSC Supports Special Olympics Minnesota at Polar Plunge Event
From setup to splashdown, the SMSC was proud to participate in the 2025 Polar Plunge event in February, helping raise over $310,000 to support Special Olympics Minnesota.
Held at Sand Point Beach in Prior Lake, the Polar Plunge saw a number of SMSC team members assist in preparations and set up for the annual event while three SMSC teams braved the cold temps above and below the ice, plunging into the freezing waters of Lower Prior Lake for a worthy cause.
Learn more about the SMSC’s charitable initiatives by visiting shakopeedakota.org/philanthropy.
Get to Know the SMSC Business Council
Since gaining federal recognition in 1969, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) has elected tribal members to oversee the day-to-day operations of the tribe and implement the direction voted upon by tribal membership. The three-member Business Council is charged with promoting the health, education, and welfare of SMSC members and their families now and for generations to come. Elected in January 2024, the SMSC’s current members of Business Council possess different life stories, work experiences, and personalities, but they are unified by a shared passion for protecting the tribe’s sovereignty and building a brighter future for their Community.
Check out the Q&A in the inaugural issue of Wiċoṡkaŋ and learn about the leaders shaping the SMSC’s future and their vision for strengthening the tribe.