Travel Program to Benefit Local Hospital

Atlas Travel International Gives 5% to Milford Regional Medical Center

Monday November 8, 9:26 am ET /MILFORD, Mass., Nov. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlas Travel International has pledged 5% of all new customer purchases of cruises, tours or vacation packages to the Milford Regional Medical Center. This donation program is the largest ever committed by a business to the hospital and will help support one of the largest capital campaigns in the hospital's 101 year history.

"We are very grateful to CEO Elaine Osgood and Atlas Travel International for their wonderful support of our healthcare system and for generously launching this new travel program that will be so helpful to our institution," said Francis M. Saba, President and CEO of Milford Regional Medical Center. "It is great to have local business leaders like Elaine who care about our organization and are committed to helping us continue to provide the finest healthcare services to our patients."

Elaine Osgood, president of Atlas Travel International, has been a hospital supporter for many years and was elected to the Board of Trustees of Milford Regional Healthcare Foundation earlier this year. "This donation program is the right thing to do. We live and work in this community and we need to ensure that the hospital continues to grow and to serve the community," said Osgood. "I rely on the hospital, my family and my friends rely on it and we want to be sure it is around for the next 101 years." Program details: -- When customers that are new to Atlas Travel International say they are a Milford Regional Supporter and they book a cruise, tour or vacation package at Atlas, the agency will donate 5% of the trip cost to the hospital's building campaign. -- There are no forms to fill out or special approvals. -- Purchases of just airline tickets do not apply. Purchases of cruises, tours or vacation packages that may or may not include airfare will qualify for the 5% donation program. -- The program will continue at least through the end of 2004.

Milford Regional is one of the last private, independently owned community hospitals left in Massachusetts. It was built by a group of concerned citizens 101 years ago and is still run as a local corporation with a board of directors who live and work in this community. The hospital serves 20 towns surrounding Milford and has become a regional healthcare system with a group physician practice, as well as several other community facilities. It's been named one of the 100 Top Hospitals in the Nation four times.