Council for the Rural Municipality of Ritchot has decided to make a large donation to STARS air ambulance.

Mayor Chris Ewen says the request came from RM of Ste. Anne Councillor Sarah Normandeau, who is taking part in STARS' Rescue On The Island next month. Participants of Rescue On The Island will be transported to a remote island on September 9th. With only their smartphone in hand, the men and women will be tasked with trying to each raise $50,000 by the end of that day.

Ewen says his council received a letter from Normandeau, requesting a donation.

"Normally council is, I don't want to say tight with their money, but they like to reserve their funds," admits Ewen. "But (Wednesday) night we felt that STARS has been nothing but amazing to our municipality."

As a result, council voted unanimously to make a one time donation of $10,000 to this cause.

According to Ewen, this is probably the largest donation to STARS that Ritchot has ever made. Further to that, he says municipalities typically donate $1,000 to this fundraiser.

"It's for a great cause," adds Ewen.

Ewen says Councillor Ron Mamchuk was particularly thrilled by the funding amount.

"His nephew was saved from STARS in Edmonton," shares Ewen. "He is our committee representative whenever there is an event for STARS or a gala or a fundraiser or an information session. So he was very pleased with that."

Ritchot's donation comes several months after STARS put out a request to municipalities in Manitoba. That request suggested municipalities consider a donation worth one dollar per capita. Most recent census numbers have Ritchot's population at 6,679.

When it comes to describing STARS, Ewen says their service is bittersweet.

"You don't want to see them but you are happy they are there," he says.