Calgary gala aims to raise $1.7M for STARS Air Ambulance

A place setting at the Enserva STARS and Spurs Gala in Calgary on March 7, 2026. (Mark Villani/CTV News Calgary)

Leaders from Alberta’s energy industry are gathering in Calgary Saturday night for one of the province’s longest-running fundraising events supporting emergency medical transport.

The 32nd annual Enserva STARS and Spurs Gala, held at the BMO Centre, brings together about 1,200 attendees to raise money for STARS Air Ambulance.

Organizers say the event has raised more than $25 million since it began and has brought in more than $1 million annually in recent years.

This year, organizers hope to raise about $1.7 million.

“STARS is an organization that was built by the community for the community,” said Dr. John Froh, president and CEO of STARS.

“So half of our funding actually comes from partners, industry, individuals, donors and this has been a big part of that.”

The money raised helps support critical care transport missions across Western Canada, including investments in equipment, innovation and operations.

“This money helps us to innovate, push boundaries, and ultimately save lives,” Froh said.

Founded more than four decades ago, STARS operates air ambulance services that respond to serious medical emergencies, particularly in rural and remote areas.

Froh said the organization has carried out more than 60,000 missions during that time.

“When I get to speak with our very important patients, our VIPs as we call them, their stories are just so important and moving, and they very much ground and centre us as to why we do what we do every day,” he said.

The event also includes a tribute to STARS founder Dr. Greg Powell, who died in April 2025 and helped establish both the air ambulance service and the gala.

For Enserva, the fundraiser has long been tied to the realities of working in Alberta’s energy sector.

“When you look at the energy sector, we work all across Canada in rural, remote locations, and sometimes where tertiary care centres are really far away,” said Gurpreet Lail, president and CEO of Enserva.

“And sometimes the life or death moments are seconds apart, so I think having something like STARS is integral and important.”

Froh adds that community and industry support will remain key as the organization looks to expand services and adopt new technologies.

“We are constantly looking for the next way to help people and really deal with people who are critically ill or injured,” he said.

“So, we’re always looking to push the needle and reach more people, help more people.”