Rotary Club of Regina

Club Meeting Report – May 5, 2025

Meeting held at the Delta Regina

 

1. Chair – President George Carson opened the meeting by acknowledging that we are all Treaty 4 people. The Indigenous Peoples of the lands that we are on today were here first and we are now all here together.

 

2. Today’s program: Ashley Kilback, Community Relations Officer, STARS Air Ambulance

The Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service is a Canadian non-profit helicopter air ambulance organization funded by individual donors, service groups, corporate donors and government contributions.

STARS was founded 40 years ago, in 1985 by Dr. Greg Powell from the Foothills Hospital in Calgary. STARS has operated in Saskatchewan for the past 13 years.

The Emergency Link Centre is located in Calgary and is staffed 24/7.

Each STARS helicopter has four crew members – two pilots, one paramedic and one nurse. Pilots require 3,000 hours of training. Paramedics and nurses require ten years of ICU experience. It is more than a transport vehicle. It is a flying ICU well equipped to support life while in transit. The paramedics and nurses can give blood transfusions, operate a hand held ultrasound and perform many life-saving tasks.

The H145 dual engine, five bladed helicopter can fly at 250 kilometres per hour. Its flying range is 300 kilometres, but there are fuel caches all over the province allowing it to fly anywhere in the province.

STARS has flown over 60,000 missions, 10,000 in Saskatchewan. They fly three to five missions per day, facilitating inter facility transfers and on-scene emergency calls, sometimes in very remote areas.

The STARS program costs an average of $11.4 million per year. 50% is funded by government and 50% by the community. The average cost of a mission is $10,000.

Major fundraisers include an annual radiothon, an AG Show near Saskatoon, Rescue on the Provinces where people are asked to raise money to be part of the crew for a day and the annual STARS Lottery. There are also many community fundraising events.

Ashley and her colleague Vanora shared some heart warming testimonials from folks whose lives were saved by STARS’ quick response team.

 

3. Birthday and Anniversary Announcements

Birthdays in May – Art Wakabayashi, Moses Nkachukwu and Joanna Alexander.

Anniversaries – Mark Stefan 17 years, Robert Nell 40 years and Doug Keam 41 years.

 

4. Reports and Announcements

President George announced that the District Annual Meeting will be a Virtual Conference Friday May 9 starting at noon and all day Saturday May 10. We have a Watch Party at Access Communications 2250 Park St., use the north door. A group registration has been made and paid so members are encouraged to come. We will have lunch on Saturday catered by Munch Catering and snacks. The cost is $25 per person, payable to our Rotary club of Regina. Lunch was ordered by the deadline but you can just drop in.

 

Social Events: A tour of the STARS site at the airport at 4 PM 14 May followed by supper.

 

At our last meeting planning further community services the members chose by a substantial majority working at the Food Bank and improving/caring for Rotary Park. George will announce a list of tasks and dates.

 

Wale Adeyemo gave a Public Image Committee report. The club is now on LinkedIn and he would like to get Rotary stories on there to expand our reach. Wale asked that anyone who would like to join the committee to please contact him.

 

Regina and Eastview clubs are continuing to serve supper at Souls Harbour on the third Thursday of each month from 4pm to 6pm. Sign up sheets are on the registration table. 8 to 10 volunteers are needed. Volunteer workers often go after serving to resuscitate themselves with beer or wine and nibbles, likely to The Keg on Dewdney. Those who cannot make it to serve are welcome to join the social.

 

Rotary youth exchange. Given the club’s demographics few of us have teenagers at home, but if you have grandchildren who might go on an exchange or whose homes could host an exchange student please contact George or Ian Yeates.

The club is supporting a student to attend the annual Rotary Youth Leadership Award camp.

 

The Golf Tournament, led by Eastview Rotary, will be on 4 July 2025. Let us find foursomes and support this, which supports the community.

 

Our fellow Rotarians of Industrial Parks will give up their charter on 30 June 2025. Several of those members wish to remain in Rotary so may transfer to us or other continuing clubs. We welcome them

.

The 50/50 pot of $107.50 was not won. 

 

5. Attendance:  16 members, 7 Eastview Rotarians and our two speakers from STARS were in attendance.

 

6. Meeting Participants:

Chair – George Carson; Greeter – Bob Terichow; Attendance – Carole Bryant; 50/50 – Art Wakabayashi; Grace – Mark Stefan; Sound System and set up – Russell Hart/Ian Yeates; 4 Way Test – Ian Toms; Reporter – Al Goudie. Thanks to Russell Hart for organizing.

 

7. Upcoming Meetings and Speakers

May 15 – Zoom meeting hosted by Eastview Club with speaker our own Amanda Lanoway – Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

May 22 – Joint meeting with Eastview Club hosting at the Delta

June 2 – joint meeting with Regina Club hosting at the Delta