Volunteers took to the skies in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba in late summer to raise funds for Hope Air
(TORONTO – September 23, 2021) A group of pilots who organized an expedition to raise funds for Hope Air has surpassed its original fundraising goal by more than $20,000. The Give Hope Wings expedition raised $422,385 to provide 1,689 flights for patients in need and created awareness for patients who need help.
The pilots and volunteers made stops in Western Canada between August 23 and September 3 to raise funds to provide flights for patients in financial need who must travel far from home for vital medical care. The flights are especially important for patients who live outside of large centres and would have to drive or take a bus for several hours each way to reach specialists.
This was the fourth annual expedition and the pilots landed in cities such as Nelson, Drumheller, Saskatoon, Yorkton and Churchill. Pilots volunteered their own time and had to make adjustments to the route along the way because of weather, smoke from fires and evolving local COVID-19 restrictions.
“We are incredibly grateful for the amazing dedication of the pilots and volunteers who participated in the two-week expedition. These incredible supporters volunteer their own time to help patients, and it is quite remarkable that they exceeded the fundraising goal. It will help ensure that we can continue to provide flights to patients in need,” says Mark Rubinstein, CEO of Hope Air.
Previous Give Hope Wings expeditions have raised a total of $900,000 to fund more than 3,600 flights.
Hope Air would especially like to thank the Title Sponsor, Langley Sportsplex, and Gold Sponsors Coastal GasLink, Cognizant, Federated Co-operatives Limited, LNG Canada, Odlum Brown Limited and Van-Kam Freightways Ltd. Hope Air would also like to thank the media sponsors National Post/Postmedia, Pattison Media and NowMedia.
As Hope Air celebrates this monumental achievement by its volunteers, it is still aiming to raise an additional $1.5 million in 2021 to continue to help patients across the country reach vital medical care far from home.
About Hope Air
Hope Air is Canada’s only national charity providing free travel and accommodations for Canadians in financial need who must access medical care far from home. Since its inception in 1986, Hope Air has provided more than 150,000 travel arrangements for patients regardless of age or medical need. For people living on a low income in small and rural communities, distance and cost are very real barriers to them accessing vital medical care. Hope Air is a unique and essential part of our Canadian healthcare system. Without the access Hope Air provides, our national system of universal healthcare coverage would fall short of its promise. Hope Air has been chosen as one of Canada’s best 100 charities by Maclean’s magazine, MoneySense magazine and Charity Intelligence based on efficiency, transparency and need. For more information, visit hopeair.ca.
About Give Hope Wings
Give Hope Wings is the largest volunteer-led fundraiser in Hope Air history. A squadron of pilots circumnavigates different parts of the world to raise money for Hope Air and support Canadian patients who have to travel for medical care. There have been three expeditions to date. The first expedition circumnavigated Central and South America, a North-Western expedition with pilots flying to British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Yukon and Alaska, and a Sault Ste. Marie to Saguenay expedition. Give Hope Wings has raised $900,000, providing more than 3,600 Hope Air medical access flights to patients in financial need with free travel to medical care far from home.
About the Boundary Bay to Hudson Bay Expedition Title Sponsor: The Langley Sportsplex provides a wide range of recreational services to Fraser Valley residents, including four arenas, fitness facilities, physiotherapy clinics and daycare centres. For more information visit: sportsplexbc.com
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