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NCHCF Chair Peggy George (right) discusses plans for heliport during an information session in Dec. (Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW Staff
Heliport fundraiser continues

NCHCF continues to raise funds for heliport at Melfort Hospital

Mar 23, 2020 | 5:00 PM

The North Central Health Care Foundation (NCHCF) continues to accept donations to the Melfort Heliport project.

The campaign is seeking to raise $600,000 to go toward the construction of a heliport adjacent to Melfort Union Hospital.

NCHCF chair Peggy George told northeastNOW that COVID-19 “is going to put a little kink in our plans.”

She said the fight against the virus will likely slow the fundraising campaign down a bit, but they are still trying to have meetings via teleconference, and corresponding by email.

“We’re still forging ahead [with the project] and hopefully will be able to do it soon,” George said.

She said even before the COVID-19 situation emerged, the fundraising was slowing down due to people being on winter holidays.

“Now people are all back, but they’re all kind of isolated and quarantined,” George said. “We’re definitely getting very, very close to the 100 per cent raised, but we’re not there yet.”

The COVID-19 pandemic also raises questions about when the project can start. Construction was to get underway this spring and that remains the goal, but George said the timeline could be affected by the virus if people aren’t able to get together to start the build.

She said the situation is still “wait and see”, but they’re trying to remain positive.

You can donate to the project here.

cam.lee@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @camlee1974

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