SASKATOON - On Thursday morning, September 12, a handful of business leaders from around the province boarded a helicopter in Saskatoon before being dropped off at a remote location somewhere in Saskatchewan.
That sentence may sound somewhat ominous, but it's actually a yearly event put on by STARS Air Ambulance in which five individuals commit themselves to raising funds for the crucial emergency service.
Rescue on the Prairie sees participants compete in a number of challenges that test their communication, organization, adaptability and teamwork skills, all while raising money for the daily operations of STARS.
The 9th annual edition of the fundraising event, it has continuously seen people give generously to the air ambulance service. John Froh, STARS' chief medical officer, says that every dollar raised goes directly back into operations for the service, which cost approximately $11 million per year.
One of this year's participants in the Rescue event was Regan McGrath, Vice-President of Sales for local ag dealership, Western Sales, which has locations in Outlook and elsewhere around the area. A little background info on Regan, seen on his Rescue on the Prairies page, provides some insight into McGrath and his inspiration for taking part in this year's event, following in the footsteps of his father Grant in 2016.
"Regan McGrath, Born and raised in Rosetown, Regan is the youngest of four siblings. He is married to Kirstie McGrath, a farm girl from Biggar who is currently an Accountant at MNP in Saskatoon. Regan grew up playing hockey and football but transitioned to endurance sports over the past six years, completing a full Ironman triathlon in Woodlands, TX, last April. He enjoys golfing when time permits, though that is rare. Regan graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce in 2013, focusing on accounting and finance, and recently completed a 13-month Harvard Business School alternative to an executive MBA. He has worked with Western Sales for the past eight years and currently serves as the VP of Sales for Outlook, Davidson, and Central Butte. Regan is passionate about business, agriculture, and fantasy football, and he hosts an annual charity event where the last-place finisher in his fantasy league must perform standup comedy. Regan is honored to support STARS Rescue on the Prairies, a cause greatly impacting the rural communities he serves. Western Sales is a locally owned, 6-store John Deere dealer in West-Central Saskatchewan. He is proud of the company's commitment to giving back locally with $3.6M in contributions to local communities since 2018."
To date, McGrath's donations page has totaled over $163,000 to date, obliterating the original goal of $50,000 from each participant.
Since 2015, the STARS Rescue on the Prairies event has raised over $3 million.
