Shoppers Drug Mart latest business to pledge $25,000 to Huntsville Hospital Foundation

More and more local companies are showing that business cares about our hospital. Shoppers Drug Mart is the latest to pledge $25,000 over five years to the Huntsville Hospital Foundation’s Business Cares initiative.

Business Cares was launched at the Huntsville Lake of Bays Chamber of Commerce annual general meeting on January 28. (Read Doppler’s earlier story about the launch here.) The goal of the campaign is to have 40 or more local businesses commit to contributing to the initiative, resulting in a collective donation of at least $1,000,000 over five years.

“It’s an incredible initiative put together by the Business Cares committee – Pat Dubé, Chantelle Armstrong and John Crockett with support from Foundation staff,” said Britta Gerwin, Development Officer – Event and Donor Relations for the Huntsville Hospital Foundation.

So far, 12 local businesses have pledged donations, including Greystone Project Management, Jason Armstrong’s Drive Muskoka, The Hunt House, MBRP, Coldwell Banker Thompson Real Estate, and Shoppers Drug Mart, with the others to be announced in coming months. The initiative is gaining momentum with at least half a dozen more interested in joining, said Gerwin.

“Shoppers Drug Mart has consistently supported excellence in healthcare in our community,” said owner and head pharmacist Dana Murdy, who has been an active member of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation board since 2012. “This is something that businesses big and small can be involved in. At a commitment of just $5000 a year, it enables some of the smaller businesses to give back and all of us together will make a big difference.”

Those businesses are recognized for their contribution in various ways, including a feature on the Foundation’s billboards on Highway 60 and Frank Miller Drive, and on a plaque within the hospital. “It let’s people know that these businesses are part of a giving community,” said Murdy.

Over the past eight years, Shoppers Drug Mart has raised more than $30,000 for the Huntsville Hospital Foundation with a concentration on women’s health. Their in-store fundraising campaigns will continue in addition to this annual corporate donation, said Murdy. (Read Doppler’s story about the store’s fundraising efforts last year here.) They also recently donated $2,500 to the Dorset Health Hub and started a weekly delivery service to the hub in the fall.