STARS- 4 Ways to Fundraise!

Since 1990 4-H clubs across Alberta have come together to fundraise for STARS.Together 4-H members have raised over $900,000 to ensure all Albertans have access to life-saving transport.

VIP Story

Lorenz Entz

Hometown: Drumheller, AB

Twelve-year-old Lorenz would rather work than play around. It was this hard working nature that took him to the mechanic shop on the Cloverleaf Hutterite Colony on one sunny Saturday afternoon in May.

He was tasked with cleaning the truck wash. When he was finished he was to close the electric overhead garage door. However, a piece of pipe had fallen into the door’s track and would not let it close properly.

When Lorenz pushed the open button again, his arm got caught and he was pulled 16 feet to the ceiling until the door stopped.

His screams brought the attention of another boy who ran for help. By the time help arrived, Lorenz had fallen to the ground, his arm still caught above in the door.

As his father, Joe, prepared to take him to meet a ground ambulance from Drumheller, others on scene got Lorenz’s arm from the door. STARS met the ground ambulance in Drumheller and took him to the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary.

Thanks to rapid transport, surgeons were able to successfully reattach his arm in a nine-hour surgery.

Today Lorenz has regained much use of his arm and continues to recover from the incident.

“We will forever be grateful to have STARS in the sky,” said Joe. “Thank you STARS for your quick response.”

Animal Auctions

Every year, Alberta 4-H clubs, members and leaders help fundraise for STARS through charity auctions of steers, calves and sheep, or via other animal-related projects. As a club, you share the responsibilities of raising a charity animal from start to finish and then you can donate the proceeds from the auction of that animal to STARS. Some clubs choose to auction the charity steer more than once to raise more funds. Alternatively, some clubs choose to donate a portion of the proceeds of each animal auctioned to STARS.

STARS Calendar Sales

Starting this year, from July 2015-February 2016, 4-H members can sell STARS calendars and receive a commission on each calendar sold. The annual STARS Calendar Campaign is in its 21^st year and raises millions of dollars with many moving patient stories of rescue and recovery and photos of our STARS team in action. You can help STARS fundraise through calendar sales and your club will also benefit by receiving $6 per each calendar sold. Get in touch with us to arrange for calendar supplies.

STARS Red Ring for Life

We all share a degree of separation from STARS. One in ten Albertans knows a patient or was a patient. How many degrees of separation are you?

 Show your pride in being part of the STARS team and support our life saving mission by wearing a Red Ring for Life. The ring is a symbol of the many hands involved in a life-saving mission and is worn by supporters, donors, former patients and members of the chain of survival. With a minimum donation of $5 per month for one year, or a yearly donation of $60, you will receive your stainless steel ring.

 

STARS Fund a Flight

You can help keep STARS in the sky when you fund one of our vital flights. Life can change without a moment’s notice – from a farm accident or a heart attack to a car crash. Your support is critical to our ability to save lives.

 A donation of $5400 will help make one patient’s mission possible – this includes the medical and aviation crew, as well as the necessary medical supplies and helicopter fuel needed. This donation is equal to one dollar per second for an average 90 minute mission. When the mission you helped fund has been completed, you will receive a STARS Certificate of Support and information about the mission your donation funded.

About STARS

STARS is dedicated to providing a safe, rapid, highly specialized emergency medical transport system for the critically ill and injured. In our 30^th year, we have flown over 30,000 missions since 1985, including 1,839 missions in Alberta last year. On board, patients are always cared for by a STARS flight nurse and flight paramedic team. A transport physician accompanies the patient when required, and are always available for consultation through telephone or radio link.

 When seconds count and the mission is critical, timely and accurate sharing of information is vital to the patient’s outcome. To meet this need, the STARS Emergency Link Centre (ELC) is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by a team of highly skilled Communication Specialists. The STARS ELC facilitates communication between the helicopter-based crew and external organizations such as ground ambulance, fire services and hospital staff. The STARS ELC also manages requests for deployment of helicopters, monitors the helicopter while in flight and coordinates landing zone preparation prior to their arrival.

 For more than half the population of Western Canada, access to critical care is measured in hours. That can mean the difference between life and death; full recovery or permanent damage. STARS offers time, hope and live-saving transport to critically ill and injured patients. STARS is a charitable, non-profit organization and funding is met through donations from individuals, service groups, businesses and corporations, municipalities and through collaborative agreements with the provincial government. The incredible support of the community helps us continually enhance our innovative and leading-edge air medical programs and service.

 Your support ensures that STARS can be there for the next patient.

For more information on how your club can get involved, please contact:

Claire Smith
Development Officer, Events, Calgary
403-516-3569
csmith@stars.ca

 

Sabrina Ali
Development Officer, Events, Edmonton
780-890-3145
sali@stars.ca

 

Shaundra Siebert
Development Officer, Events, Grand Prairie
780-830-7015
ssiebert@stars.ca