REGINA, Sask. — Five prominent Saskatchewan business and industry leaders are taking part in a challenge in a remote location, seeking to be rescued.
Thursday marked the start of the STARS Rescue on the Prairies challenge. The five participants gathered at the STARS Air Ambulance base in Regina, where they were airlifted this morning to a remote location outside the city.
Their challenge was to raise $50,000 to secure their rescue, according to a STARS news release, and earn their flight back. As they do that, their skills will be put to the test through a series of medical, aviation and readiness challenges. Those also included challenges at the STARS base itself, such as an engineering challenge.
The five participants included Allan Wiens, CEO of SeedMaster Manufacturing Ltd.; Jason LeBlanc, farmer and strategic advisor with Steffes Auctioneers; Shawn Patenaude of Shawn Patenaude Law; Bobbee-Jo Wood, vice-president and insurance broker at Atlas York Insurance; and Harvard Media’s own Cindy Michel, who is director of sales.
After taking part in the initial challenges at the Regina base, the participants started boarding helicopters to be airlifted to the secret remote location in rural Saskatchewan.
Jeri-Lynn Johnston, chief foundation and brand officer for STARS, said the fundraising event was critical to STARS operations.
"This is an opportunity for community leaders to see what it's like to be a STARS crew member, so it's like a day in the life of being a STARS team member. They'll be challenged all day long, they'll see what it's like to do the aviation side of our business, the clinical side, engineering, and really, most importantly, the fundraising side. So their goal today is to raise $50,000 each in order to be brought back to the STARS base.”
Johnston thanked all of the community leaders taking part, as well as the “generous sponsors and donors that have been with us since day one.”
“We've been in operation since 2012 in Saskatchewan, across Western Canada for four decades, and we've flown over 66,000 missions, and we can't do it without the support of the community.”
As for where the money will go, Johnston said the money raised will go to “our direct operations in support of critical care anywhere so that STARS can be there 24-7.”
“On average, we fly close to three missions per day. In Saskatchewan, we have two bases, one in Regina, one in Saskatoon, and in order for us to operate, we have to fundraise. We are so fortunate to receive close to half of our funding from the provincial government here in Saskatchewan, and then we fundraise the remaining, which comes from events like this today, from individuals, corporate sponsorships, and communities. So we are so grateful to have the support that we do here in this province. Thank you very much to the people of Saskatchewan.”
This is the 11th annual STARS Rescue on the Prairie event and the first time they have lifted off from the Regina base since 2023. Johnston said this event has “been a huge success.”
“Since the first rescue, we've raised $4 million in support of STARS because of the amazing generosity of the participants who open up their networks for STARS to help raise the funds.”
People can follow what's going on by checking out Rescue on the Prairie through the STARS website, where they can follow along and watch the participants raise the funds they need.
