The second Sweeping for Stars event was held at the Weyburn Curling Club on the weekend.

The event raises money for Saskatchewan's emergency response medical helicopter, Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS).

The Development Officer with Foundation for Stars says the fund-raising bonspiel is slowly spreading through Saskatchewan. "Our engineer, Cory MacDonald, is from Weyburn." saId Vanessa Headford. "And he said, 'You know, Weyburn is a big curling community, why don't we try a curling bonspiel?' So we came up with a Sweeping for Stars, and this is a result."

Last year, STARS flew to 20 missions in the Weyburn area. (File photo)While only in its second year, it seems Sweeping for Stars is beginning to catch on in other centres. "One of our paramedics came down, and curled in it last year." added Headford. "He had so much fun. He's from Pense. And so he went back to his community and said why don't we do a curling bonspiel for STARS here? So, last November we had Sweeping for Stars in Pense, and they raised about four thousand dollars there."

While figures for this year's event aren't available, last year's Sweeping for Stars raised $8,200.

For 30 years, STARS has provided an emergency medical air transportation service to the Prairies. 

Of the 1,041 missions in Saskatchewan last year, 20 were in the Weyburn area.

Other missions to areas around the southeast include: Bengough (2), Carlyle (3), Estevan (30), Fillmore (4), Francis (1), Kenosee Lake (1),  Lampman (1), Midale (2), Ocean Man (1), Oxbow (9), Pangman (3), Radville (2), Redvers (4), Stoughton (1) and Trossachs (1).