Stars Lottery Alberta - should we care?

[omega50]

Been a supporter since 2005. Took a life saving ride in Jan 2004

[Dean2]

One more supporter of Stars and the fine work they do. If you ever lived in remoter regions like GP, Slave Lake, High Level you will know first hand at least one person who was saved by a Stars flight.

I worked on the Stars fund raisers when I was in GP. The people working for Stars are not over paid and unless CalgaryChef can post some hard evidence about the Board not being volunteer he apologise and move on. These guys, CNIB and the Salvation Army are among the few charitable organizations that I have a great deal of respect for.

[CBintheNorth]

It's good to question all charities.
STARS is not perfect, but quite a tightly run outfit compared to most. Salaries and remunerations all seem in line to me for a $30M/yr company.

https://www.charityintelligence.ca/c...rescue-service

[Outbound]

I was a responding medic to a man down incident at work where STARS was called to evac the casualty. A couple years later, I was on a course and my assigned partner was a STARS pilot with whom I had some great chats and gained much insight.

I fully support STARS.

[Battle Rat]

When on scene with multiple casualties there is no better sound than a STARs chopper blanding.
Their crew have always been the nicest most polite people to work with that you will ever meet.

[antlercarver]

Rather than make a cash donation that I can afford ,I donate my time as in a antler carving which brings many times more than I would afford in cash.
Do same in Stollery fundraisers, over the years my donations to the Stollery have resulted in approximately 100k, something I personalty could never do.
More than one way to skin a cat.

[The Cook]

Been buying since the beginning, also Foothills and Calgary Children's Hospital and Hospital home lotto.
We see them quite a lot flying up the valley towards Banff, Avalanche rescue, motor vehicle accidents, hurt climbers and outdoorsmen. Nice to know they are in the air.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by antlercarver

Rather than make a cash donation that I can afford ,I donate my time as in a antler carving which brings many times more than I would afford in cash.
Do same in Stollery fundraisers, over the years my donations to the Stollery have resulted in approximately 100k, something I personalty could never do.
More than one way to skin a cat.

Great way to help. From time to time I donate a days fishing on our lake in Calgary. It is a fairly sought after day...likely due to the fishing and less spending the day with me...come to think about it...there maybe a discount factored into the bids.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by CBintheNorth

It's good to question all charities.
STARS is not perfect, but quite a tightly run outfit compared to most. Salaries and remunerations all seem in line to me for a $30M/yr company.

https://www.charityintelligence.ca/c...rescue-service

Yes. All directors are absolutely donating 2 volunteering their time for free and many also donate money as well.

So again. Enough of the mid-truths.

Great charity. Well run. Useful for outdoorsmen and well worth supporting. Even buying one $30 ticket online can be a big help.

[thumper]

We support STARS through their lottery, and the Children's Hospital through their lottery and direct donation.

But I still have a little reluctance in supporting necessary public functions like this. Part of me feels that supporting things like these, and cancer research and so forth, are all rolls that we should expect our government to do, for the benefit of all. By requiring public fundraisers and donations to operate, don't we excuse our governments from their responsibilities to fully fund public services?

By picking up the tab, are we enabling our governments to throw billions of our tax dollars around the world and at home to special friends and special interests in stupid, mega-gifts, instead of funding these necessary functions that effect all Canadians?

I can understand, and do, directly support various support groups that hold personal interest to me, like wildlife welfare (Birds of Prey Centre - Coaldale), special project for Inuit school kids, wildlife habitat groups, local museum and kids sports teams - some provide tax receipts, some don't. They probably don't make the government's radar and would likely disappear without individual fundraising. I have personal interests in them survive and don't mind contributing to them what I can.

But I do question why medical research, urgent medical transport (Stars), and Children's hospitals need to reach out, hat in hand, for the publics donations to operate. If the wealth of our country was redirected to what matters to most Canadians, think of what we could achieve - our hospitals and medical research could lead the world.

I'll continue to support STARS - we see them often, doing their good work here in the Bow Valley Rockies. but.....

[Greatwest]

The wife and I buy tickets and 50/50 tickets every year. We know a few people that have needed the service back in Sask where we moved from. We also know a guy that won the home in the Sask Stars Lottery back in 2014. He is a farmer and had no use for the home where it sat so he kept it for the minimum 6 months required then sold it for close to $1 million. Not a bad trade off for a $30 ticket.

[sage 13]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

I buy the calendar. Lottery is not a donation

I to buy the calender well I give him the money then ask him to give the calender to the elderly fellow down the street

[hayseed]

Darn tootin we do!!!
Know of two friends that have flown first class with Stars, and if it hadn't been Stars, they would not be here today.

Having said that, that's not the reason I support, well it is but have been forever.
One day could be one of you, or I.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by hayseed

Darn tootin we do!!!
Know of two friends that have flown first class with Stars, and if it hadn't been Stars, they would not be here today.

Having said that, that's not the reason I support, well it is but have been forever.
One day could be one of you, or I.

I have a feeling someone from the AOF community will win big.

I grabbed 6 tickets for $100 and fifteen 50/50 tickets for $50.

As mentioned...it’s for a good cause. Now to dream BIG!

[Gboe8]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

I buy the calendar. Lottery is not a donation

Hey ken next time you buy the calendar ask how much makes it to stars I was pretty surprised. Can’t remember the number use to buy it till I found it out. I just do a lump sum donation and buy the lotto!

[Red Bullets]

I know we should care about Stars because the people that operate it care about us.

I know a fellow that snapped his ankle badly on a pack trip. He was thrown from a horse 3 days back into the Willmore Wilderness area. A fellow rider had a sat phone and was able to call Stars. It cost my friend a considerable fee but it saved him and the rest of the riders a 3 day ride out.

[daveyn]

I also am somebody who owes my life to a ride in the back of a STARS helicopter and I don't care who makes what or how much off of running that organization. They are exceptional at what they do and that all comes with a cost that I am willing to contribute to.

[Ebrand]

Donate in the way that you can.

The helicopter ride and care is worth more than you can ever imagine.

They are the difference between life and death everyday.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by sarahfaye

Essential service. I buy tickets but this should be 100% government funded.

yup...we just had an accident Friday in which one person was airlifted to Edmonton....critical services that is a must.

[rem338win]

Originally Posted by kbobbeck

i buy tickets every year, but Stars should be 100 % funded by our taxes

Originally Posted by ctd

This is one program the government should be funding 100%.

Originally Posted by calgarychef

Stars is an great service. Have you researched what their board of directors gets paid? After doing that ..do you still want to donate to to them?

Originally Posted by sarahfaye

Essential service. I buy tickets but this should be 100% government funded.

Originally Posted by thumper

We support STARS through their lottery, and the Children's Hospital through their lottery and direct donation.

But I still have a little reluctance in supporting necessary public functions like this. Part of me feels that supporting things like these, and cancer research and so forth, are all rolls that we should expect our government to do, for the benefit of all. By requiring public fundraisers and donations to operate, don't we excuse our governments from their responsibilities to fully fund public services?

By picking up the tab, are we enabling our governments to throw billions of our tax dollars around the world and at home to special friends and special interests in stupid, mega-gifts, instead of funding these necessary functions that effect all Canadians?

I can understand, and do, directly support various support groups that hold personal interest to me, like wildlife welfare (Birds of Prey Centre - Coaldale), special project for Inuit school kids, wildlife habitat groups, local museum and kids sports teams - some provide tax receipts, some don't. They probably don't make the government's radar and would likely disappear without individual fundraising. I have personal interests in them survive and don't mind contributing to them what I can.

But I do question why medical research, urgent medical transport (Stars), and Children's hospitals need to reach out, hat in hand, for the publics donations to operate. If the wealth of our country was redirected to what matters to most Canadians, think of what we could achieve - our hospitals and medical research could lead the world.

I'll continue to support STARS - we see them often, doing their good work here in the Bow Valley Rockies. but.....

My palm hits my face whenever I see people thinking the government should take things over like this.

Ask a paramedic today how much they enjoy working for AHS. Ask them about the waste they see, the terrible inefficiency, the unfirable dip**** employees, peoples abuse of the system, etc.

STARS doesn't want public funding and their program would nose dive if it was government controlled in any way. They know that and don't want it to happen.

Donate because it matters. And because you throwing them $30 - 100 a year is far cheaper than the taxes to support it. They run on $30m a year. Get AHS involved and it would be $100m. And it would deteriorate.

Dont be stupid. Stop asking the government to do things that are already run well.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by rem338win

My palm hits my face whenever I see people thinking the government should take things over like this.

Ask a paramedic today how much they enjoy working for AHS. Ask them about the waste they see, the terrible inefficiency, the unfirable dip**** employees, peoples abuse of the system, etc.

STARS doesn't want public funding and their program would nose dive if it was government controlled in any way. They know that and don't want it to happen.

Donate because it matters. And because you throwing them $30 - 100 a year is far cheaper than the taxes to support it. They run on $30m a year. Get AHS involved and it would be $100m. And it would deteriorate.

Dont be stupid. Stop asking the government to do things that are already run well.

Hell of a good point. On top of that gov funding covers half the budget but the place still runs like private enterprise rather than another froggen bloated gov department.

[omega50]

I was really intrigued by the Lethbridge Show Home. One of the pics shows what appears to be a hidden kitchen through a cupboard face.
I have always wanted a dedicated hidden Spice Kitchen with high test ventilation where I could run a deep fryer or Wok without stinking up the main living area of the house.
But the lotto website and pics description is vague.

Curious if any AO members have already toured , or might be touring soon could tell me exactly what lies hidden in that room if anything? Pic on website only shows a hint of possibly a sink and a microwave and don't mention the hidden kitchen in their copy..

The builders website has floorplans of most of their designs, but no floorplan of this particular model.

[RandyBoBandy]

Originally Posted by omega50

I was really intrigued by the Lethbridge Show Home. One of the pics shows what appears to be a hidden kitchen through a cupboard face.
I have always wanted a dedicated hidden Spice Kitchen with high test ventilation where I could run a deep fryer or Wok without stinking up the main living area of the house.
But the lotto website and pics description is vague.

Curious if any AO members have already toured , or might be touring soon could tell me exactly what lies hidden in that room if anything? Pic on website only shows a hint of possibly a sink and a microwave and don't mention the hidden kitchen in their copy..

The builders website has floorplans of most of their designs, but no floorplan of this particular model.

I've always said that if I won a major lottery first thing up would be dedicated SPICE shelf with every spice available

[enfield303]

All I can say is the old man has bought calendars etc for years. He has his little STARS bear on the dash of the work truck. If he see's it moved you are going to hear about it!! Like really loud. It has been his guardian angel for years. On the strange plus side... Stars hasn't been needed

[omega50]

Originally Posted by RandyBoBandy

I've always said that if I won a major lottery first thing up would be dedicated SPICE shelf with every spice available

Not a Shelf, A Kitchen

Spice Kitchen is a term to describe small enclosed kitchens with large exhaust hoods so when cooking Spiced Foods in a Wok or Blackening Fish-No smells or smoke will fill the restaurant

[does it ALL outdoors]

Originally Posted by RandyBoBandy

A big HELL YA from me...calendar and lotto every year..

Same.

Pretty easy cause to get behind.

[saskbooknut]

Great cause.
I am another guy wondering why air ambulance service depends on charity fund raising.
Are we letting the health care system off the hook?

[Ebrand]

AHS had fouled up EMS horribly.

No doubt they would do the same with STARS.

I feel the STARS service ( MedEvac ) should be a Government essential service and that it is sad they have to fundraise.

Albertan’s deserve the top notch service we already have. It is so sad that our governments ( all levels and parties) are not capable of proving or managing EMS and a Med Evac service for us.

Support STARs as much as you can

EB

[omega50]

Draw Day-Good Luck everybody.

Hope I don't win a Travel prize

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by omega50

Draw Day-Good Luck everybody.

Hope I don't win a Travel prize

Fingers crossed. Big draw was at 10 am...and no phone call. Oh well. For a good cause.