It took a few eagles and birdies to give the gift of flight to Prince George residents who need help getting to out-of-town medical appointments.
Hope Air, which arranges free flights to get low-income Canadians to specialized healthcare that doesn't exist in their own community, was the recipient of $8,500 raised through the Prince George Airport's annual charity golf tournament.
More than 100 people participated in the event, which raised $3,500 more than the previous year.
"This is the third year that Prince George airport has chosen to support Hope Air through its golf tournament, and we would like to thank all the participants for their generosity, and the organizing committee... for hosting such a successful event," said Hope Air donor relations officer Anna du Bois.
This year's donation will guarantee 35 flights to people living in the region. Since January, Hope Air has provided 488 free trips for those who need to access healthcare in Vancouver, Kelowna and Edmonton.
Hope Air operations three different flights programs to Canadians, which allows the charity to purchase flights directly from airlines, accept donated seats from airlines and pay the additional fees and taxes on behalf of clients and partner with private pilots who volunteer their time and aircraft for communities not well covered by commercial airlines.
"The Prince George to Vancouver route is the second busiest in all of Canada, which means there are lots of families in our community needing help," said John Gibson, Prince George Airport Authority CEO. "We are thrilled we were able to raise enough money to get dozens of people to and from their appointments."
For more on Hope Air, visit www.hopeair.ca or call 1-877-346-4673.
