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Campbell River raises $10,000 for hospital in Scrap Metal Challenge

Grand total over first seven years of event is nearing $100,000
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Marine Harvest once again were tops in this year’s Scrap Metal Challenge. From left are Barb Nielsen from ABC Recycling, Corey Silliker of Marine Harvest, Carly Pisterzi of the CRHF and Isaac Desprez of Marine Harvest.

The city has raised almost another $10,000 from the latest installment of the Scrap Metal Challenge.

With this year’s amount, the total the event has raised over the years is approaching $100,000 that is used toward purchasing equipment for the local hospital.

It also helps recover a lot of material that is otherwise sitting around neglected.

“We see all kinds of stuff – water tanks, barbecues, transformers, patio furniture … anything you can think of really,” says Campbell River Hospital Foundation event and communication director Carly Pisterzi. “We had a random dentist chair one time.”

The 2018 Scrap Metal Challenge took place over June and July and has raised a total of $96,000 from metal over its first seven years. Prior to this year’s event, the total stood at $87,000.

RELATED STORY: Turning clunkers into cash for the Campbell River Hospital Foundation

The money raised this year will help pay for a hematology slide review system for the lab at the local hospital. This piece of equipment performs automated digital microscopy morphology analysis. It has software applications designed for remote access, competency testing and education. One advantage of this system is that it gives the local lab staff the ability to connect with and support other hospital sites using digital technology, especially when it comes to lab samples.

“It’s just more efficient,” Pisterzi adds.

Every year, the Campbell River Hospital Foundation organizes this collection of scrap metal, with a friendly challenge put out to several businesses to see which can raise the most money from scrap metal, though the public takes part too.

“It’s kind of a fun way to interact with all those companies,” Pisterzi says. “It’s definitely a combined effort, though obviously the companies makes up the bulk of it.”

One of the unexpected items this year was some scrap material from Clearview Grinding that had been left behind from the old hospital.

“When the old hospital went down, a portion of that came to this, which is kind of cool,” Pisterzi says.

For the second consecutive year, Marine Harvest Canada took top honours among businesses, raising $2,223 from scrap metal. It was a close race though, as Marine Harvest was going up against some strong competition this year from T-Mar Industries Ltd.​, Finning Canada​, Tyee Chevrolet Buick GMC​, Wayne’s Propane, Kal Tire​, Campbell River Hyundai​, Island Health​ and Clearview Grinding.

While the challenge is directed toward local businesses, the public is also encouraged to take part in the event, both as a way to raise money for the hospital as well as a way to clean up old scrap metal from the community.

“It helps them clean up their yard,” Pisterzi says.

This year, donations from the public both at the public works bin on Dogwood Street and directly through ABC Recycling amounted to a $2,732.

“The public gives a ton,” Pisterzi says. “This year, the public actually gave more than Marine Harvest, who gave the most.”

While the Campbell River Hospital Foundation oversees the event, Pisterzi credits ABC Recycling​ and the City of Campbell public works department​ for help with collecting the scrap. The foundation confirms it will be planning the next challenge for the summer of 2019.