聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Glasses of tequila were raised as a toast in Kamsack last week in celebration of the near completion of having constructed and paid for the Assiniboine Valley Health Centre.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Members of the Assiniboine Valley Health and Wellness Foundation, its health centre fundraising committee, major sponsors and active supporters of the project assembled in front of the centre on August 10 for the celebration.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 It was about four years ago that a group gathered in Broda鈥檚 tossed around the idea of having such a health centre constructed, said Mayor Rod Gardner, after having eaten a barbecued hot dog.
鈥淲e had talked about a building with a budget of about $1.2 million and we decided to go ahead,鈥� he said, adding that the completed building ended up costing about $2 million, all of which has been raised without government grants.
The money was raised by people and companies, with volunteers going door to door requesting donations, Gardner said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a long haul, but we鈥檙e here.
鈥淭oday, we鈥檙e within $20,000 of having the building completely paid,鈥� he said, explaining that when the group had first met and decided to proceed, members had agreed that once the building had been constructed and paid, they would meet in front of it, enjoy hot dogs and drink a toast of tequila to mark the occasion.
鈥淲e鈥檙e doing this, still shy $20,000 because we are making a last-ditch effort to raise the last bit of money,鈥� he said, adding that the Smoke on the Water fundraiser at Madge Lake at the end of July had added $38,000 to the cause.
鈥淲e鈥檙e here to make sure we鈥檝e turned over every stone, to encourage everyone to make one last donation and push the total over the finish line,鈥� he said. 鈥淢aybe you鈥檝e already donated a hundred dollars, or a few thousand, so please consider making another donation.鈥�
Gardner said that tax deductible receipts are still available and encourages everyone to stop at Affinity Credit Union where Brenda Bowes would provide the required receipts.聽
