Steven Dyck, president Western Tractor, stands by the convoy of vehicles arriving for a bag of McCain frozen french fries and then making donations to HALO helicopter medevac organization, on Friday morning.--NEWS PHOTO GILLIAN SLADE
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade
Support for the HALO fundraiser at Western Tractor was so strong the lineup of vehicles waiting to get in was long enough they had to start early.
At 9:30 a.m. an estimated 1,000 vehicles had already driven in at one end, collected a free bag of McCain frozen french fries and at the other end drivers were throwing money into a bucket for HALO.
“HALO will come to help anyone and everyone has come to help HALO,” said Paul Carolan, CEO of HALO helicopter medevac ambulance service for this region.
Steven Dyck, president Western Tractor, said the support has been so generous he expects to do much better than the original goal of raising $100,000.
“We are going to surpass $200,000,” said Dyck, noting there was the expectation of corporate donations, too.
By early afternoon Carolan confirmed $30,000 had been raised in Medicine Hat and $41,000 in Burdett. The event in Taber had just finished but no total was available yet and the group was making its way to Lethbridge.
Carolan was filled with emotion and said he felt overwhelmed by the outpouring of community support.
“We need the people and they’re answering the call, ” said Carolan.
About two weeks ago HALO announced it may close on July 1 due to lack of funds.
In all the years of operating there has only been a one-time government grant of about $1 million under the NDP.
Drew Barnes, MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat, has asked the government of Alberta to provide $150,000 a month to HALO until the end of August when a review of ambulance helicopter service for Alberta is complete. HALO is submitting requested documents to the UCP government in this regard.
Dyck says people in southern Alberta care about HALO and potato farmers so the concept of making fries available and raising money for HALO seemed a good fit. JEB Transport was moving the fries to all the locations where the fundraising continued all day.
An online group initiated by Nicole Viste has also been raising funds for HALO with items donated for sale. Within a very short time hundreds of people had joined and were participating.
