While the R.M. of Benson has been supporting the St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation with a cumulative $154,000, a special fundraising initiative has been able to raise another $100,000 for the Foundation's MRI Project, which is nearing the final stages of fundraising.
"We'd previously done a donation last fall, and we intended to prop that donation up in 2025," shared Reeve Ken Wallewein. "We had a ratepayers supper, and at that supper we announced that we would match any donations from ratepayers in the R.M. of Benson. We had a great response, which was more than what we anticipated, but because we said we would match it, we carried through with the match for all the donations that were received for people who pay taxes in the R.M. of Benson."
He said it's all thanks to the community members who made a difference for the project.
"We discussed it at our meetings and decided that we would always support the hospital every year. We're in a funding arrangement with them that has gone on for a lot of years, but this was a unique one-time requirement for larger capital. And the rest of the council felt that it was very important in talking with rate payers when, after we made the first $100,000 donation, the majority of the rate payers that we spoke to were all in favour of us supporting this cause in a big way."
Wallewein said the R.M. of Benson will keep supporting the St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation with whatever project is next.
"Like I said, we do a donation every year, but this money is over and above the normal amount. I believe our normal amount is about $50,000 a year that we just give with kind of no strings attached. They use it where they feel it's best needed or best suited."
He added he hopes to see more people contribute to ensure the completion of the MRI Project, for which less than $1 million still needs to be raised, and construction has already begun on the unit.