In 2014, Kirk Wall was working with one of the horses on his ranch near Swift Current, when he was kicked in the side, knocking him several feet across the pen, face down in the dirt. His family rushed to his aid and got him to hospital in Swift Current.

“When I came out of the CT scan, they said STARS was one the way,” Wall said, recalling the incident. The kick had ruptured his spleen, and he needed to get care in Regina.

“The feeling that my family and wife felt when they saw these guys come in that they’re going to take care of me, they said they felt a lot of relief,” Wall added.

His story is one of the hundreds that are told every year across Saskatchewan, as STARS provides key medical assistance throughout the province. Whether it is responding to a farming incident, helping with an inter-facility transfer or rushing to the scene of a traffic collision, STARS has been there for those who need it in Saskatchewan since 2012.

The cost to operate the life-saving operations STARS conducts run upwards of $20 million a year. While the provincial government provides half of that, the other half comes through fundraising, and over the past 14 months, the options for fundraisers have been very limited thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. This makes this year’s STARS Lottery more important than ever.

The lottery has always been one of the largest fundraisers for STARS each year, but his year, it has taken on an even larger importance. With that in mind, the lottery, which launches today, has more than 2,061 prizes worth more than $4.2 million available.

While there are a lot of prizes up for grabs, Mark Oddan, Senior Communications Officer with STARS explained there are two prizes that are almost guaranteed to capture the attention of everyone.

“We do have the two, gorgeous fully furnished showhomes, and they are both awarded – it isn’t an either-or scenario – both of those showhomes will be won this year,” Oddan said. One of the showhomes is located just outside of Regina and the other just outside of Saskatoon. Each of the homes is valued at more than $1.5 million.

There are a number of other prizes, including the early-bird prize package – the ultimate outdoor adventure package. This year it will include a Ford F350, a Cougar 5th Wheel toy hauler RV, a Polaris off-road vehicle, a camping package and $100,000 cash. The Lucky STARS 50/50 is also making a return. This year, if it sells out the total pot will be more than $5 million, with the winner taking home half.

While the chance to win the fantastic prizes is one reason to purchase a ticket, where the money goes can be a powerful incentive as well. All the money raised remains in Saskatchewan to help cover operations costs.

“We’re busy and we’re always ready, and how we’re ready is things like the lottery providing us with the funds for our ongoing education,” explained Flight Nurse Darren Entner. The money not only goes to ensure the crews are trained to the best of their ability but to also make sure they have the best equipment needed.

Glenn Rogers had the opportunity to speak with Wall, Entner and Oddan about the lottery, what the prizes are, and how the lottery supports STARS. You can watch the complete interview below.

You can purchase your tickets for the lottery HERE.