The STARS Lottery of 2016 has been continuing its course of selling tickets to Saskatchewan residents for almost a month now, and is nearing sold out status. Right now, the lottery has sold over 75% of its tickets with a wide variety of marvelous prizes to be won. Anything from a brand new house, vacations, cars and other prizes are available for lucky ticket holders when the draws are made.

But what is the greater cause behind the STARS Lottery? And how does the money from ticket sales affect residents directly from Saskatchewan?

STARS has flown more than 3,000 missions to more than 400 communities across Saskatchewan since establishing operations in 2012. Local supporters make up around 50% of the funding for the two Saskatchewan bases. Every ticket purchased for the STARS Lottery contributes towards funding for STARS, and it has a ripple effect across rural and remote areas in the province.

Jason Simpson is one of many Saskatchewan residents who understands the advantage first-hand of having STARS aid those in need. He lives on a farm near Herschel, around the same area where the accident took place. The STARS Lottery website contains a short description of Simpson's connection with STARS on the front page. At a highway intersection near his farm he had crossed hundreds of times, Simpson's SUV was hit by a truck and trailer. He was rendered unconscious while suffering multiple internal injuries. Approximately 90 miles from Saskatoon hospitals and having been brought back to life twice already by EMS responders at that point, STARS had taken off from the airport to come to his rescue.

"I believe it was 21 minutes they were out there, and they were 17 minutes getting me back," said Simpson. "Without the ability of that helicopter, and the speed it was travelling to get out to where I was located and back to the hospital in Saskatoon, I guarantee there would be no option for me." The helicopter landed just outside of Saskatoon where they met an ambulance to rush Simpson to Royal University Hospital to receive immediate advanced care. What would have been a risky, longer trip on the road from the remote location in comparison to the quick helicopter flight was what gave him a second chance.

"I have a long list of guys to thank. STARS happens to be the first ones on the scene as well as EMS and the guys that phoned in," said Simpson. "They were the first group to do the assessment, and then there's a big long list of people that helped me afterwards."

The draws are June 29th for the early bird draw and July 20th for the final ticket deadline.