Brent Bidston, one of the founders of Angel Flight East Kootenay, accepts a $350 donation from Brielle Waite, who sold crafts made with leaves to donate to the organization. Trevor Crawley photo.

Brent Bidston, one of the founders of Angel Flight East Kootenay, accepts a $350 donation from Brielle Waite, who sold crafts made with leaves to donate to the organization. Trevor Crawley photo.

Kimberley girl fundraises for volunteer medical transport service

Brielle Waite raised $350 for Angel Flight East Kootenay using leaves for crafts sold at $7 apiece

Brielle Waite, 6, picked up some leaves from her elementary school yard in Kimberley and brought them home as a gift for the family.

From there, an idea was born.

Why not use the leaves to raise money for charity?

Brielle decided to turn them into a craft, ironing wax paper to both sides of the leaves and cutting around the excess material.

She chose to raise money for a cause that would provide support for cancer patients and their families.

Brielle settled on Angel Flight East Kootenay, a volunteer medical transport service that flies patients at no cost to appointments in Kelowna and back to the East Kootenay.

READ MORE: Medical transport service celebrates historic first flight

So she went to work, crafting the leaves and selling them for $7, eventually raising $350 that was was presented to Brent Bidston of Angel Flights East Kootenay on Wednesday at the Canadian Rockies International Airport.

Angel Flight East Kootenay is a volunteer effort between Bidston and Todd Weselake, both of whom are based out of the Elk Valley.

So far this year, they have made eight flights to and from the Okanagan for patients who have medical appointments that don’t require a long time. For example, a patient can fly to Kelowna, see their medical specialist for a 30-minute appointment, then fly back — all without having to do a seven-hour drive both ways and staying overnight.

Flight candidates are decided on an application basis, which can be made through the Angel Flight East Kootenay website.


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Cranbrook Townsman