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THE DONATION: $5-million

THE CAUSE: Saint Mary's University

The Reason: To help build a health and wellness centre.

Six years ago, Richard Homburg became so ill he was partly paralyzed. He recovered fully, thanks largely to treatments at two European health centres. "I had the ability to pay for it but a lot of people can't," said Mr. Homburg, 58, who runs Halifax-based real estate company Homburg Invest Inc.To help address that need in his adopted hometown of Halifax, he donated $5-million to Saint Mary's University for the construction of the Homburg Centre for Health and Wellness, which will offer recreational facilities and consulting services for people recovering from strokes, injuries and other illnesses. "I think that fitness and health and wellness is on everybody's mind," said Mr. Homburg who was born in the Netherlands and immigrated to Stellarton, N.S., in 1972.

The gift is one of several he has made to Saint Mary's and while his business has spread globally, he plans to keep giving locally. "I've very much got a soft spot for Atlantic Canada and especially for Halifax."

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