CALGARY – Healthbeat – The Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS) have announced another successful fundraising event. CEO Rescue in the Rockies for STARS raised a staggering $1,027,684 in one day.
For the second year, STARS partnered with five prominent Calgary-based CEOs and dropped them into Kananaskis Country, near Bragg Creek via helicopter. Using only their cell phones to collect donations, the CEOs had no choice but to “dial” for their survival by remaining on the mountain until they raised a goal of $100,000 each, at which point they were “rescued” by STARS Air Ambulance.
“We couldn’t have done it without our family, friends and colleagues,” says Matt Brister, CEO, Chinook Energy Inc and event challenger. “And regardless of whether they were generously donating to rescue me or to keep me on the mountain, the money raised will help keep STARS operating and in our skies.”
The generous CEOs who competed included Bruce March, Chairman, President and CEO of Imperial Oil Limited; Steve Laut, President of Canadian Natural Resources Limited; Dale Dusterhoft, CEO of Trican Well Services Ltd.; John Gibson, President and CEO of Tervita; and Matt Brister, CEO of Chinook Energy Inc.
The CEOs faced several challenges while on the mountain, including one which tested the their CPR knowledge and skills, and the “King of the Mountain” survivor challenge, which tested wilderness survival skills such as lighting a fire with limited resources.
Much like last year, some of the challengers went above and beyond as far as fundraising, raising nearly twice the amount of their original goal.
“Luckily for STARS, our participating CEOs have incredibly completive and philanthropic spirits and raised an outstanding amount of money,” says Andrea Robertson, president and CEO of STARS. “We couldn’t be happier with the outcome of today and know we will have continuous success in the future with participants like this.”
Funds raised through CEO Rescue in the Rockies for STARS will support the STARS mission of providing a safe, rapid, highly specialized emergency medical transport system for the critically ill and injured.
ABOUT STARS: STARS is a charitable, non-profit organization that provides rapid and specialized emergency medical care and transportation for critically ill and injured patients. STARS has flown more than 23,000 missions since 1985, and operates from five bases in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, including Calgary, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Regina and Winnipeg. A new base is anticipated to open in Saskatoon in late 2012.
You can follow STARS ongoing emergency responses, as well as CEO Rescue in the Rockies activities at www.twitter.com/starsambulance.