Saturday night Calgary Gala raises over $1.6 million to keep STARS Air Ambulance flying

STARS Air Ambulance is the lifeline for Albertans needing immediate, critical, lifesaving medical help and that’s especially true for the energy industry.

“Honestly, for the energy industry, it's extremely important. STARS has always been a part of our fabric,” says  Gurpreet Lail, president and CEO of Enserva.

“We work in rural remote locations, we’re getting help, it takes time and having STARS in the air for us means a great deal, especially when we put so much effort on health and safety of our employees.”

The 30^th annual Enserva STARS & Spurs Gala, which was held Saturday night at the Telus Convention Centre in downtown Calgary, attracted leaders from the energy sector to raise critical funds for STARS and the life-saving services they provide across Western Canada.

“I think what we provide to STARS is funding that can help with their operations and funding new medical equipment,” says Lail.

“Medical equipment is always changing and evolving and they need to be on the forefront and on the cusp of technology. I think our industry provides that by hosting a gala for them every year.”

More than 1,000 people attended the event Saturday night at the Telus Convention Centre

The event raised more than $1.6 million for STARS.

STARS stands for Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society. It was founded in Calgary in 1985 by emergency medical physician Dr. Gregory Powell and others in the health-care system

It all began when a pregnant woman from a rural community died from blood loss, leaving a father alone with their newborn child. The founders of STARS said her death was a preventable one and they believed no one should go without the critical care that could save their life, no matter where they live.

Since 1994, this gala has raised more than $19 million for STARS making it the organization’s most significant annual fundraiser.