Jeff Colbourne
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jul 15/98) - The Stanton Regional Hospital Foundation is well on its way to reaching its $2 million fundraising target for new medical equipment.

Just recently the foundation received a $75,000 commitment from Imasco Ltd., a major Canadian corporation.

"It's really good news. Clearly the major corporations are very supportive of the equipment drive that the Stanton Regional Hospital Foundation is pursuing," said Dennis Cleaver, chief executive officer of the hospital.

Imasco, parent company of Shoppers Drug Mart and Imperial Tobacco, whose trademark's include du Maurier and Players, said in correspondence to Cleaver it is happy to donate $15,000 in the next five years for a mammography unit and CT scanner

Imasco also plans to make a separate donation to the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation and perhaps announce a "Life for Life" program for the NWT. A separate program, it would see a portion of sales of all Shopper's Life brand products donated to a worthy cause.

Cleaver said he does not have problem accepting money from Imasco, a company that owns a cigarette manufacturer.

"They're coming to our support for much needed capital equipment and clearly the Shopper's Drug Mart side of things is a partner in the health care industry. You take everything in balance. You just overall have to be very pleased that a large company would support the capital campaign," said Cleaver.

The Imasco contribution is one of many the foundation has already secured to help purchase equipment.

CIBC has donated $25,000 and the Run for the Cure, which has yet to be collected.

More than $900,000 has been earmarked already for capital equipment. The foundation hopes to have $2 million collected by Christmas. "There's sort of a three-way partnership developing here, the community represented by the foundation, the business community and the government," said Cleaver.

Al Hathaway, foundation chair, said even though the capital campaign won't be officially launched until fall, it is already receiving support from local and national business community and service clubs.

"We're very pleased with the process and the fact that we have been able to meet some of the needs of the hospital and we're hoping we can raise enough funds to meet all those things we show on our wish list," said Hathaway.