Grit, teamwork, and raw muscle power were on full display Thursday morning as more than a dozen teams gathered at the KF Centre for Excellence to compete in the 2025 Haul for Hope, a charity plane pull in support of Hope Air.

With cheers from a crowd, teams of 10 to 12 participants took turns hauling a 67,000-pound WestJet Dash-8 Q400 aircraft across 75 meters—racing not only the clock but also each other.

Now in its second year in Kelowna, the event brought together local businesses, community groups, and aviation fans—all working toward one goal: raising money for Hope Air, a charity that helps Canadians in need travel to medical appointments.

“Without Hope Air, many of our patients tell us that they would not be able to access the care they deserve, quite frankly,” said Stephaine Aldridge, VP of patient experience at Hope Air.

“In Canada, we have a universal health care system, but for people experiencing real barriers to access that care—whether that be distance, whether that be cost—we are literally a lifeline to individuals who can’t get to care.”

In 2024 alone, Hope Air arranged over 1,000 travel supports for more than 200 patients and caregivers from Kelowna—a portion of the 10,000 patient trips and 50,000 travel arrangements the organization facilitates across the country each year.

The fundraising target for Thursday’s Kelowna event was $30,000, contributing to a national goal of $500,000 across six similar events held in cities across Canada.

For more information on Hope Air visit hopeair.ca.