Carnduff youth raises money for STARS

Shaylee Belke has been doing what she can to help out the STARS Air Ambulance.

Shaylee is a Carnduff-area resident who has held fundraisers for the organization.

Four years ago, she was airlifted to Regina by STARS after she suffered serious injuries when she was kicked by a horse on her family’s farm. She thought it would be a good idea to return the favour by raising money for STARS.

This year she brought in $2,110 by setting up a lemonade stand in front of Carnduff Agencies on the town’s Main Street for six hours. She sold lemonade, iced tea and Freezies for $1 each, and was helped by her brother Jacob. 

“They sure did a great job, and received great community support,” said Shaylee and Jacob’s father Brad.

The temperatures were close to 30 C that day, so the refreshments and freezies were in high demand.

“She hopes to continue this as an annual event,” Brad Belke said.

Shaylee also donated $500 of her own money. A member of the 4-H Beef Club in the Carnduff area, she directed $500 from the proceeds of the sale of her calf towards STARS.

This year Shaylee and her family went to the STARS Air Ambulance base in Saskatoon to make the cheque presentation. They have usually handed over the money in Regina, but her grandparents reside in the Bridge City, so they did the presentation up there instead.

The first year of Shaylee’s fundraiser generated about $780 in 2017 and it attracted $500 last year.

“We usually do it in July,” Brad Belke said. “We were a little bit later this year, and they were just asking when we were doing it, and this great community supported it.”

Shaylee has been an ambassador for STARS for the past few years, so she has been in their magazine, telling her story of how the STARS Air Ambulance saved her life.