The Critical Care on the Air Radiothon for STARS Air Ambulance is officially in the flight logs, and $403,940 was raised for the non-profit emergency organization's Saskatchewan bases.

The radiothon ran for 12 hours Wednesday and another 12 Thursday across 37 radio stations in the province, including on all Golden West stations.

"The money raised by the radiothon will help ensure STARS remains available 24/7 to help those living, working, or playing across Saskatchewan," said STARS Saskatchewan Director of Donor Relations & Development Jeri-Lynn Johnston. "And more specifically, the funds will help purchase items like new ultrasound machines for the back of our helicopters, which are essentially the flying equivalent of an intensive-care unit."

STARS' Saskatchewan bases are in Saskatoon and Regina. They receive half their funding through the provincial government. The radiothon is an example of a fundraiser that makes up a big chunk of that other half.

Johnston said the last two days have been another shining example of the sense of community in the Land of the Living Skies.

"We often say at STARS that we were built by the community for the community. And we're really in awe of the generosity that we received from individuals, groups, and businesses across this great province who made our second-annual Critical Care on the Air Radiothon another huge success."

Over $340,000 was raised in 2021. Each base costs around $10 million per year to operate. There were 901 flights from the Saskatchewan bases during the 2020-21 fiscal year.