The drive to raise $8 million for a new nursing home in Estevan is continuing along at a steady pace.

The Hearthstone Community Campaign announced Monday they have surpassed the $5 million mark and are now less than $3 million away from their target.

The latest push came thanks to a work in kind donation of $100,000 from Kelly Panteluk Construction. The local company has offered to prepare the site for free, much like they did during the construction of Spectra Place.

Vern Buck, who is chairman of the Hearthstone committee, said moving past $5 million is a significant step for the group.

“That is a little bit better than 62 per cent of our goal of $8 million,” Buck said during the announcement Monday at the Solar Studios Art Gallery in the Estevan Shoppers Mall.

“(Panteluk) construction plan on doing the ground work and that is estimated at $100,000, but I am sure it will be more than that.”

Buck said the campaign had hoped to reach the $5 million mark by the end of May and were pleased to accomplish that goal.

“We think that reaching $5 million will assist us in reaching the rest because it is becoming a reality,” he said. “(Fundraising) has been going very well. We have had a lot of significant donations. Of course to get to $5 million you have to have a lot of individuals, companies and the City and the RMs contribute to that.”

Buck said they will keep on canvassing the area and will also continue with their “Watch for Wally” advertising campaign. A release from Hearthstone also noted the Estevan Rotary Club added another $10,000 to their contribution Friday night at their annual Lobsterfest fundraiser.