The goal of renewing STARS Air Ambulance’s helicopter fleet became much closer after a significant donation from MNP Saskatchewan.

MNP’s Partners across the province rallied together to donate $500,000 to STARS’ Pegasus Project.

STARS President and CEO Andrea Robertson says to receive such a huge donation during the pandemic is amazing.

“It’s astonishing to be able to raise that kind of money in the middle of Covid when all businesses and organizations are going through an onset of stressors,” said Robertson. “So we are just super thrilled.”

MNP Regional Managing Partner for southern Saskatchewan Regan Exner says it was important for them to support STARS and the communities they serve.

“We’ve got partners, clients, and team members in every corner of the province, we’re in pretty much every community where STARS would operate and help make a difference in peoples lives,” said Exner. “So we need, and want, to help support all of those communities, so this was just really a natural fit for us to get our support behind and try to make a difference.”

Robertson says STARS has become more important than ever because of COVID-19, so making sure the fleet is up to date is crucial.

“We flew just under 900 patients last year in Saskatchewan out of Regina and Saskatoon, a little over 60 times this month so far,” said Robertson. “These are people with Covid, or with really bad injury or illness, that we help get to the level of care that they need at the time when they’re most ill.”

The Pegasus Project will see the sale of a custom-built one-of-a-kind 1968 Ford Shelby Mustang 427 coupe at the famous Barrett-Jackson auto auction in 2022. All proceeds from the sale will go towards fleet renewal.