Hope Air lifts lives

Kelowna's Dave McElroy relived the highlights and trials of a 68-day air odyssey from Kelowna to the tip of South America and back, Wednesday night.

The Give Hope Wings flight raised awareness and funds for Hope Air, which transports patients to needed care at the coast – for free.

McElroy was joined by two other pilot buddies from Ontario and Saskatchewan in their homebuilt aircraft. While speedy, they only have four hours flying time, so logistics were everything.

"It was more fun than adult humans should be allowed to have," McElroy quipped during Wednesday's fundraiser at Okanagan College. "We were basically adopted by the entire South American general aviation community."

More than $530,000 was raised, including contributions Wednesday of $5,000 from First Choice Hair Cutters and $1,000 from RBC.

Hope Air CEO Doug Heller-Hobson says it was the biggest local fundraiser in the organization's 32-year history and will fund 2,000 flights.

"To put this in perspective, they raised enough money for 2,000 flights, last year there were 1,400 Hope Air flights from Kelowna, so they raised enough to cover all those and nearly half of this year," said Heller-Hobson.

Vernon's Leila Ward was a Hope Air patient. "I had 20 more years of breathing that I wouldn't have had, thanks to Hope Air," she said.

Ward has flown 13 times with Hope Air for specialized treatments in Vancouver.

McElroy is enjoying some time at home, finishing a book about his solo trip around the world and planning his next great aviation adventure.