The Give Hope Wings Expedition was also recognized at the event. The fundraiser is a multi-aircraft flying expedition in which Hope Air pilots have raised more than $400,000 by flying from Halifax with various stops along the way to the final destination of Greater Sudbury.

 

“It couldn’t be more fitting that we celebrate our 40th anniversary here today in Sudbury as we remark on what the next 40 years will bring, helping thousands and thousands of people across Northern Ontario and also Canada get to a hospital,” said Mark Rubinstein, Hope Air’s chief executive officer.

 

Lee Arsenault, a volunteer pilot for Hope Air in Sudbury, said he’s flown 63 missions over the years. “When I retired about 12 years ago, we had a plane, my wife and I, and we were looking for a charity and heard about Hope Air and what Hope Air does,” he said. “And it was the perfect charity for us because we could use our plane, fly people in need who needed transportation to get to, you know, urban centres for specialized medical care.”

 

Hope Air is a national Canadian charity founded in 1986 that provides free travel and accommodation arrangements for low-income individuals who must travel long distances for specialized medical care. The organization removes financial and geographical barriers to healthcare.