Derwent rallies together to donate $20K to STARS Air Ambulance

The thriving hamlet of Derwent saw its residents put their heads together to come up with a significant donation to one of the province’s top emergency health care providers.

On Nov. 21, the Derwent Fire Department presented a $20,000 cheque to STARS Air Ambulance. This is the second year a large group of residents have come together in the Derwent area to raise money for the critical care provider, and they exceeded last year’s fundraising total.

“Any chance that we can get to keep STARS in the air is a good opportunity,” said Ed Mailhot, deputy chief.

The idea began when on the Fire Department members saw a call-out on social media to try and fundraise for STARS two years ago. The wheels then began turning on how to achieve it.

Mailhot said a large portion of the funds were grown naturally with over 60 couples or businesses helping pitch in money for the cause.

“We decided to take on this project. We rented 21 acres from a local landowner right on the edge of Derwent last year, we planted canola and it didn’t fare so well. We were in a drought year, and we only made I think $4,000 off the crop itself. We made 21 acres we had like, just shy of 240 bushels,” Mailhot told Lakeland Connect. 

“But with our local donations from people, and we had canvassed with the community pretty good, we managed to raise $17,500 last year. So this year, we decided to do it again, and rented the same parcel of land and we planted wheat. And we ended up making roughly about $13,000 on the crop. And then with our donations and stuff that we managed to garner from the community, and from really from all across the province, we were able to cut a cheque last week for $20,000.”

The list of fundraisers who helped contribute to the sum handed to STARS Air Ambulance.

There are three Alberta bases for STARS in Edmonton, Calgary, and Grande Prairie and each flight can be costly. STARS largely gathers funds through charitable means as a non-profit organization.

While in year’s past the provincial government’s contribution was stagnant, earlier in 2022, the province committed to almost doubling its funding to $15 million to keep them in the air.

But it’s grassroots initiatives like this one that also help save lives.

“Any chance we get to help support them is a good cause in my opinion,” said Mailhot. 

“We have already committed to doing this again next year so we’ll see what the future holds for us.” 

The Derwent Fire Department is a large department for a rural community. Mailhot said they are blessed to have 26 members and five junior members as well.

Derwent is located 34 kilometers south of Elk Point.