聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 What鈥檚 The Challenge STARS has for five individuals on Aug. 27? It鈥檚 called Rescue on the Prairies and on Aug. 27, STARS will be taking five influential members from across Saskatchewan to participate in their first fundraiser of its kind.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The participants will be taken to an undisclosed location with only their cell phones to get them home. Described as a 鈥淛ail and Bail鈥� event, participants will compete against each other in survival challenges on location and have each been challenged to raise at least $50,000 for STARS.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 That evening the participants then return to Saskatoon for a final announcement of total funds raised.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Locally, Carlyle鈥檚 Carson Energy employees hosted a BBQ on Thursday, Aug. 13, as a way to help raise funds to support one of the STARS participants, Ron Carson, who founded Carson Energy Services Ltd. in Lampman, SK, in 1974.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e鈥檝e had a great response,鈥� Carson said. 鈥淲e were at $49,600 this morning [Aug. 13], so we鈥檝e basically made our challenge,聽 but that鈥檚 not going to stop people from contributing because our personal challenge within the company is to raise $150,000 and I see no reason why we won鈥檛 make it a go.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭here鈥檚 a challenge within the company, amongst all the area managers to see how much they can raise. I told them that whatever money they raise or pledges they receive from employees, I will match it, so they鈥檙e working hard to get those figures higher. And the area managers made the deal that the one who raises the least will be participating in a dunk tank.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to raise a lot.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Carson went on to say that he expects the others participating in the challenge with him to be aiming higher than $50,000 because of the importance of the service in Saskatchewan.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淪TARS has an operating cost of $21 million and that鈥檚 per year,鈥� Carson said. 鈥淪o they have to raise half of that each year because they鈥檙e a non-profit organization and our government supports the other half.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e need STARS in Saskatchewan, they do about seven or eight heli-trips per day between Saskatoon and Regina, so it鈥檚 well used and it鈥檚 available to anyone in need of the service, it鈥檚 for everybody.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Carson became involved in this particular fundraising effort through a phone call: 鈥淭he invitation to participate was an opportunity and challenge to contribute some energy to raising much needed money for STARS, basically for the well-being of all Saskatchewan residents.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Although Carson has now surpassed the $50,000 challenge, he is determined to reach his personal goal of $150,000 for STARS.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Barbeques were hosted not only in Carlyle, but in Lampman, Estevan, and White City as well to help fundraise for STARS Rescue on the Prairie.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 A representative from STARS was helping with the BBQ in Carlyle, Vanesssa Headford, who was happy to answer any questions about STARS and aided in serving the meal alongside Carson Energy employees.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淔ive individuals have been asked to participate in this and each one was asked to fundraise $50,000,鈥� she explained. 鈥淩ight now they鈥檙e doing pre-fundraisers to help build that up.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 For more information on the program or to support Carson鈥檚 efforts visit
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 *As of Monday, Aug. 17, in the morning Carson had already raised $67,224.
