STARS hits fundraising goal for renewal of aging fleet
An Alberta company's donation has helped the province's air ambulance service reach its fundraising goal to renew its aging fleet of helicopters.
STARS launched its Keep the Fight in Flight campaign in 2018 with the goal of replacing six older aircraft with nine Airbus H145 helicopters at a cost of $13 million each. Now, a $1.2-million donation from Calgary-based electricity transmission company Altalink has helped STARS reach that goal.
“There is nothing more important to us at Altalink than safety. Our teams work 24-7, often in remote areas, to deliver the energy that Albertans need, when they need it most,” said Gary Hart, Altalink's president and COO.
“STARS can turn a tragic event into a life-saving one, so we're incredibly proud to support the important work they do and ensure that STARS can continue to deliver critical care that communities need for many years to come.”
The renewed fleet will be implemented at all six STARS bases across Western Canada later this year. Since receiving its first new chopper in 2019, the organization has flown hundreds of missions utilizing the new equipment, thanks to support from donors like Altalink.
“With this generous gift to our fleet renewal initiative, Altalink is truly making a generational investment in the health and safety of the communities we serve, helping us deliver critical care to patients living, working or playing in rural and remote areas for decades to come,” said Andrea Robertson, STARS president and CEO.
“Our supporters ride along with us on every mission, and now they are helping us build the next STARS fleet. We're incredibly grateful to Altalink for their financial support to help us reach our goal.”
STARS, a non-profit organization, relies on donors to support its operations. The service fundraised nearly half of its operational costs in 2021.
The donation comes just a month after the provincial government more than doubled its annual commitment to STARS, now giving the organization $15 million yearly.