MOOSE JAW — Four members of the Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) will jump out of a perfectly good airplane this fall during a friendly fundraising competition against three other first responder groups.
The four agencies — MJPS, Saskatchewan EMS Regina, Hutch Ambulance Moosomin and Macklin EMS Service — are taking part in the Teddy Bears Anonymous’ third annual Jump for Charity fundraiser on Saturday, Sept. 6 at the Moose Jaw Municipal Airport. All participants will perform a tandem jump from 2,250 metres (7,500 feet) with a professional SkyDive Â鶹ÊÓƵ Sask. instructor.
Teddy Bears Anonymous was founded in 2008 by president Luke Lawrence after his daughter Erin died from a very rare form of gastric cancer called Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer (HDGC). His wife also died from the disease in 1991.
Each participating group will be tasked with raising as much money as possible before the jump. All funds raised will then go to the non-profit charity to purchase factory-sealed sterilized teddy bears for children admitted to participating hospitals and ambulance services throughout the province.
“The Moose Jaw Police (Service) is very honoured and excited to be involved in this fun and meaningful charity fundraiser,” Jay-D Haughton, communications manager with the MJPS, said by email.
“It’s a great opportunity for (all) first responder groups to raise as much money as possible to support sick children within our province,” he continued. “The friendly competition is an added bonus as well.”
This is the first time that the MJPS has participated in this type of fundraising event, and while the agency hasn’t discussed an exact fundraising goal, it wants to raise as much as possible to support sick kids across the province, Haughton added.
Online donations can be made at , with Pool A supporting EMS groups and Pool B supporting the MJPS.
For Terri Murrell and Jennifer Arlitt, emergency medical responders (EMR) with Macklin EMS, jumping out of an airplane for a good cause was an easy decision.
“I learned of the jump last year from a paramedic friend who participated. It looked and sounded like fun, so I kept an eye out for Teddy Bears Anonymous looking for participants for this year’s fundraiser,” said Arlitt, who has been an EMR for 15 years.
Murrell, who has been an EMR since 2012, said she reached out to past participant Olivia Babichuk of Kerrobert for details on how the pair could get involved.
“In February, I was in Mexico and was given a chance to try parasailing. I fell in love, even with my fear of heights. Since my diagnosis of breast cancer in 2017, I felt the need to live life to the fullest and help others who have been diagnosed with breast cancer,” Murrell said. “I’ve always been up for a challenge and skydiving is something I can check off my bucket list and support a fabulous charity.”
The EMS services have some large shoes to fill, as last year’s Saskatchewan EMS services participants raised more than $6,500. Babichuk teamed up with Wilkie EMR Denys Kotelnikov last year and jumped on Sept. 7, 2024.
“Hospital visits and ambulance rides are scary sometimes, even for adults,” said Arlitt. “Whatever I can do as a health-care professional to make a child’s experience easier, even if it’s as simple as the comfort from a soft teddy bear, I like to try and do.”
While the families of both women think it’s great, the pair admit they have been called crazy.
“For the most part, my friends and family think it’s great. Some think I’m crazy, but are still super supportive,” added Arlitt.
With files from Azure McGonigle/Â鶹ÊÓƵ.ca.
