Hope Air

Hope Air (formerly Mission Air) is a national registered charity founded in 1986.

Dedicated to arranging free air transportation for Canadians, who are in financial need and require non-emergency medical care outside of their home community, Hope Air has provided over 60,000 flights in the last 24 years.

Approximately 50% of all flights are for children and their escorts.

In November 2010, Hope Air presented its first ever Outstanding Philanthropist Award to Bearskin Airlines. The Award recognizes the exceptional contribution Bearskin Airlines has made to the Hope Air mission of arranging free flights for Canadians in financial need who must get to specialized healthcare far from their home communities.

Since 1988 Bearskin Airlines has been a valuable Hope Air partner by getting thousands of Canadians to the medical care they need. In fact, from the year 2000 to September 30 2010, Bearskin Airlines has provided 1,574 flights.

"It is worth noting that the flights provided by Bearskin Airlines to Hope Air Clients are not last-minute availabilities," says Hope Air Executive Director Doug Keller-Hobson. "For our Clients' purposes, these flights are often booked over a month in advance, which means Bearskin Airlines is donating seats they would otherwise generate revenue from. This is an outstanding charitable contribution that has helped thousands of Canadians and alleviated much financial, emotional and physical stress."

The top three health reasons Hope Air Clients have used Bearskin Airlines in 2010 is to reach specialized medical care related to orthopedics, which is generally for children, vision-related issues and neurological conditions. Over 169 flights have been provided by Bearskin Airlines so far in 2010 to get children and adults to the care they need.

"At Bearskin Airlines, we don't believe that a lack of financial means should limit someone from receiving the healthcare they require," comments Harvey Friesen, President of the company. "If a flight with Bearskin Airlines can provide access to specialized care not available in the north, we are proud to be able to help in that way."

"Hope Air could not get Canadians to the healthcare they need without the donated flights from partners such as Bearskin Airlines," says Doug Keller-Hobson. "We applaud Bearskin Airlines for their charitable contributions and their exceptional generosity in helping Hope Air to remove the barriers of distance and cost that separate Canadians from the healthcare they need."

Bearskin Airlines President Harvey Friesen accepted the Outstanding Philanthropist Award at the annual meeting of the Air Transportation Association of Canada in Vancouver on Monday, November 8, 2010. The award was presented by Doug Keller-Hobson, Executive Director of Hope Air.

For More Information on Hope Air go to http://www.hopeair.org or please call Hope Air's bilingual staff Monday through Friday, between 9:00 am and 4:30 pm EST 1-877-346-HOPE (4673)

Pictured left to right is Mark Williams, Chairman of ATAC, Harvey Friesen, President of Bearskin Airlines and Doug Keller-Hobson, Executive Director of Hope Air who presented the Outstanding Philanthropist Award to Mr Friesen at the annual meeting of the Air Transportation Association of Canada in Vancouver on Monday, November 8, 2010.