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Officials excited that nearly all funding for Ronald McDonald House raised

Ronald McDonald House Central Alberta has raised $11.3 million of the $12 million needed for the project to help critically ill children and their families.
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Work continues on the Ronald McDonald House in Red Deer.

Ronald McDonald House Central Alberta has raised $11.3 million of the $12 million needed for the project to help critically ill children and their families.

“We’re pretty excited about it. We’re slowly inching towards our final goal,” said Lyn Radford, chair of the capital campaign cabinet for the house.

The 11-suite house will provide low-cost accommodations for Central Alberta families with critically ill babies, sick children and high-risk pregnancies being treated at the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre.

Construction of the house at 3908 Gaetz Ave., near the hospital, got underway this year and is expected to be complete by early fall 2011.

Radford said “a resurgence” of fundraising events during the holiday season, developed by people in the community or businesses, are bringing in cash. Small amounts donated at Christmas parties are adding up.

“If that can continue, that will see us through to making our goal,” Radford said on Monday.

The permanent donor wall, listing donors who have contributed $10,000 or more, is being finalized and hopefully more corporate donations will be made soon, she said.

The Freeze the House Charity Bonspiel, presented by Fas Gas Plus on Jan. 7 and 9, could raise as much as $100,000.

So far about 55 teams, out of a possible 64, have registered for the bonspiel.

People can also buy tickets to the bonspiel dinner, featuring Olympic gold medal curlers Kevin Martin and Marc Kennedy, to be held Jan. 8 at the Capri Hotel. Tickets are $100 each.

A $12-million fundraising campaign will pay for the land, construction, furnishings and programming for families for the first year of the house.

It is estimated that 400 families will stay at the Ronald McDonald House Central Alberta each year.

For more information, go to www.rmhcentralalberta.org.

szielinski@www.reddeeradvocate.com