SASKATOON - Clocking in at 7 a.m. Thursday, five Saskatchewan business people joined members of the STARS team and began the 9th annual STARS Rescue on the Prairies event, with the goal of fundraising, and raising awareness for STARS in the province. A sum of $506,388 and counting was raised.
An information session at the Saskatoon STARS hangar preceded the first challenge, the readiness challenge, which seemingly included a planned, or unplanned, sabotage of participant Kendra Wack, who was representing Three Degree. Another participant was wearing the flight suit designated for her but she was quick to discover the “incident’, recover and come in second place earning her front seat placement for their flight out.
Following Wack for the morning, and judging by her resilience in overcoming this seemingly planned obstacle, it was easy to see her competitive and fun nature.
The day would include the five participants competing in reality-competition-challenges, along with their partners from the STARS team. Challenges were aligned with the work the STARS team undertakes in their work. Communication, organization, adaptability and teamwork skills were all part of the lively challenges, all while raising money for such an important cause that helps fund the emergency service’s daily operations.
Chief Medical Officer at STARS, Dr. John Froh, said that every dollar raised goes directly back into their operations. STARS operation costs annually are roughly $11M, so fundraising events like this go a long way to assisting with the work they do.
Participants affirmed, whether in person on Sept. 12 at the event, or on their event fundraising page, that almost everyone in the province knows someone who has benefitted from the services of STARS.
Each challenge offered participants not only the chance to win, but by winning the challenge they could earn additional funds for their individual campaigns, benefitting the fundraising target overall.
Each competitor had a fundraising goal of $50,000, but participant Regan McGrath, by 1:30 p.m. of Sept 12, had already collected $153,088, according to the event’s website.
McGrath’s competitors include Ashley Turner, a Realtor with Century 21 Fusion; Bryan Somerville, the President of Somerville Farms Ltd.; Kendra Wack, Founder of Degree Three; and Shane Dueck, a business advisor at MNP.
Rescue on the Prairie’s fundraising event has generated over $3M since 2015. The event alternates between the Regina and Saskatoon base. In Saskatchewan, STARS is funded in half by the government and the community fundraises the second half.
This year’s remote location was the Crossmount Cider location just south of Saskatoon, resulting in an approximate 10-minute flight for those participating.
Using their mobile phones and personal networks, the industrious group pushed each other both in fundraising efforts and individual challenges, creating a competitive and fun atmosphere, despite the dreary weather.
Each challenge presented included use of a variety of medical or other equipment used by the STARS team. The ‘SOS’ challenge followed an aviation challenge wherein the first team in, got to choose their material to create their ‘SOS’ sign/signal. Some unorthodox materials churned the creativity in challengers as then they waited for the flyover to not only garner their attention, but win the challenge.
One of the messages emphasized was that not only does STARS get to the emergency but they also bring the critical care team needed to transport the patient that includes a CC nurse, a paramedic and a physician. The helicopter itself truly encompasses a mobile intensive care unit, including blood on board and specialized medical equipment.
Not only does STARS get there, but they “bring the people to you” including a critical care nurse, a paramedic, and physician as well. Helicopters are fully equipped to handle emergency medical situations.
Kendra Wack is the founder of Degree Three, a communications and strategy consulting firm, the Executive Director for FEAD (Female Entrepreneurs in Agri-Food Development), and a Director of Associate and Specialist Recruitment at Dentalcorp.
Raised on a multi-generational mixed farm in west-central Saskatchewan, Wack says she learned the value of hard work. Her leadership, people rapport, teamwork and perseverance skills became clearly evident from overcoming the first obstacle in the first challenge to dedicating herself the challenges and goals of the day.
Wack’s fundraising bio said, “As someone who grew up on a multi-generation farm in West-Central Saskatchewan, I witnessed firsthand the critical importance of timely medical assistance in rural areas.”
People in remote and rural areas of Saskatchewan have access to the urgent care they need, often making the difference between life and death.
Participant, Shayne Dueck, on his fundraising page stated, “Working with STARS is important to me because of the help and hope that it brings in times of crisis in communities that don’t have the proximity to the supports that are in larger centres. Choosing to live in rural Saskatchewan shouldn’t mean that your chances of survival are diminished because you it just takes too long for medical response to happen.”
While the weather didn’t provide an ideal environment, it didn’t dampen the enthusiasm and determination of participants to compete for their pride, their personal fundraising goals and contribute to such a worthwhile fundraising event.
