REGINA, Sask. — On Sept. 17 at 7 a.m., five Saskatchewan business and community leaders will board a STARS helicopter, disappear into an undisclosed wilderness location and face a challenge unlike any business meeting they have ever attended.
They will have their phones, their professional networks and a $50,000 fundraising target.
Until each participant reaches that mark, there is no ride home.
The annual STARS Rescue on the Prairies fundraiser puts participants through a series of challenges designed to give them a taste of the pressure facing air medical crews, including medical extrication, CPR, aviation logistics, SOS signal construction, a flight-gear scramble and the King or Queen of the Prairie obstacle course.
This year's five participants are SeedMaster Manufacturing CEO Allan Wiens, Harvard Media Director of Sales for Regina and Yorkton Cindy Michel, farmer and Steffes Auctioneers strategic advisor Jason LeBlanc, lawyer Shawn Patenaude and Atlas York Insurance vice-president and broker Bobbee-Jo Wood.
STARS Executive Director of Brand and Marketing Angela Anderson-Blunt says the event reflects the organization's strong connection to Saskatchewan communities.
“STARS was built by the community, for the community, and this year's Rescue on the Prairie is another great example of that. We're so excited to have a group of amazing Saskatchewan community leaders coming forward to learn about the work we do while raising funds to support our mission to provide critical care across the province.”
For Regina’s Cindy Michel, the decision to take part comes after years of seeing the organization from very different sides of life.
“STARS has been a very important part of our province for a number of years. And for myself personally, on location for a devastating crash on the way to Weyburn, which involved my aunt and two other individuals coming home from work. Unfortunately, all three lives were lost.”
Her family would later experience STARS in a very different circumstance.
Michel's grandson Elijah was born with a rare form of cancer and, before his second birthday, endured port surgery, aggressive chemotherapy and the removal of one kidney.
“Throughout the procedures, throughout his port surgery and ultimate removal of one kidney, STARS is there. They're there to, through the treatments here in Regina, get him to Saskatoon if need be. And through the surgeries in Saskatoon, if anything had gone wrong, it would have been an airlift to the Edmonton hospital for him as well.”
For a family already facing an unimaginable medical journey, knowing specialized help was ready if the situation suddenly deteriorated carried its own weight.
“So just knowing that they're there provides so much comfort. And if you've ever spent any time on the website listening to the stories, they're incredible. They do such a great job for our province getting critical care when it's needed.”
That connection is one reason Michel has supported STARS for years, including through its annual lottery. Now she is asking others to support her as she takes on the Rescue on the Prairies challenge.
The fundraising target is $50,000 per participant, with every dollar helping support STARS operations in Saskatchewan. Government funding covers only about half of the organization's $21-million annual operating budget in the province.
Michel says the size of the target was one of the first things that hit her when she was asked to participate.
“Nervous and extremely overwhelmed. Not gonna lie, $50,000 just seems like a lot of money. I mean, it is a lot of money. And you chip away at $100 at a time, $1,000 at a time. I'm still nervous about achieving that goal.”
She has already secured just under $20,000, including support from Harvard Media and the broader Harvard and Hill diversified group of companies.
One fundraising option is a $5,000 patch on her flight suit. Businesses that purchase a patch receive a charitable tax receipt from STARS, along with a $3,000 Harvard Media advertising campaign on a Saskatchewan station of their choice.
Michel says having her support team behind her has made the challenge feel considerably less daunting.
“And I'm representing Harvard Media, so to have that support of my colleagues and leadership team is pretty special. And I feel pretty good about my chances getting my ride home.”
She will also hold a three-course fundraising dinner at the South Keg Regina on Sept. 10, with three beverage pairings. Forty dollars from every ticket will go toward her Rescue on the Prairies campaign.
The event is part of a fundraising effort that has become one of STARS' signature initiatives in Saskatchewan.
Since Rescue on the Prairies began in 2015, Saskatchewan events have raised well over $3 million, including $417,000 at the program's 10th-anniversary event last year. Across Western Canada, Rescue events have generated more than $14 million.
The money helps sustain an organization that can bring advanced critical care to patients far from major medical centres, whether the emergency happens on a highway, a farm or in a remote area.
Allan Wiens, who previously served on the STARS board, has seen that need from inside the organization.
“Strong communities are built by people and organizations that show up when it matters most. I’m proud to live and work in Saskatchewan, where agriculture, community, and helping your neighbor are a way of life.”
Jason LeBlanc, a fourth-generation farmer and rural municipality reeve, has also spent years raising money for emergency services through charity auctions.
“As a producer and community member in southeast Saskatchewan, I know firsthand that when emergencies happen in rural areas, seconds count. STARS is our lifeline, bringing the ICU directly to the field or the highway.”
For Michel, the September 17 challenge is ultimately about making sure that lifeline remains available when Saskatchewan families need it most.
She is encouraging people to visit the STARS website, learn about all five participants and support whichever campaign they choose.
“Bottom line is it's STARS Air Ambulance. And when every second counts, we need them in the air. And, you know, anything anybody can do to help. There's no amount too small, and there's no amount too big. So whatever anybody can afford, every dollar makes a difference.”
