Sparwood resident recognized for charitable contributions to Angel Flight

What began as a simple act of giving, has grown into a remarkable legacy of generosity.

Over the past few years, Sparwood resident Debbie Russo has been collecting refundable bottles and cans from across the Elk Valley and donating every dollar to Angel Flight. Recently, while reviewing historical donations, Angel Flight discovered that her contributions beginning with her first donation in August 2021, total an incredible $44,669.84.

Moved by the discovery, members of Angel Flight travelled to Sparwood to meet Debbie and her husband Tony in person, to say thank you and to better understand the dedication behind her efforts.

What they found was an operation built on determination, community support, and heart.

Bottles and cans arrive at Debbie’s door from many sources, including community members who drop off recyclables, the Sparwood and Elkford Curling Clubs, the Sparwood Golf Course, and even, on one occasion, a full seacan from the local mine. A small pullbehind trailer sits in her yard to make dropoffs easy, and when needed, Debbie will even collect bottles herself. With a small SUV used to transport collections, Debbie carefully coordinates each arrangement and finds ways to manage even larger loads when needed.

“People around here call me the Angel Flight lady,” Debbie shared.

Once collected, everything is cleaned, sorted, crushed and stored, with the kitchen serving as the heart of their operation. A garden shed, purchased specifically for this purpose, holds neatly organized bags until there is enough for a return.

Debbie explained that when she first started, every can was crushed by hand, pointing to the original hand crusher still mounted on her porch. As the volume increased, Tony stepped in to help by setting up an air-compressor-powered crusher, making the work more manageable and less physically demanding.

The process of preparing and returning thousands of bottles and cans requires a significant investment of time and energy, a commitment Debbie takes on herself, with Tony’s unwavering support.

When asked what first inspired her to begin this pursuit, Debbie shared that she started while still working full-time. After later sustaining a serious back injury at work and eventually retiring, the effort became her focus.

“I just kept at it,” she said. “This is what I do now.”

Debbie is also a cancer survivor, and cancer has touched her family in profound ways. Before Angel Flight existed, Debbie lost her brother, her sister, and her father to cancer. After years of supporting other causes, she shifted her efforts to Angel Flight, a service she knows firsthand makes a meaningful difference for residents of the East Kootenays.

“While collecting, I hear many stories from people who have used Angel Flight’s services, or from somebody close to them who has had to. It’s very much needed, and I’m very thankful that I can help in some small part.”

Angel Flight is sincerely grateful to Debbie and Tony for their extraordinary effort and longstanding support. For those interested in learning more about Angel Flight, requesting a flight, or supporting the volunteer-run charity through a donation, visit https://angelflightek.ca/.

As reported to the Cranbrook Townsman, January 21, 2026, https://cranbrooktownsman.com/2026/01/21/sparwood-resident-recognized-for-charitable-contributions-to-angel-flight/

 

Angel Flight seeks funding for new aircraft

Angel Flight East Kootenay is embarking on a campaign to raise funds for a new $3 million aircraft that will help streamline operating costs for its flight services between the East Kootenay and Kelowna.

Co-founder Brent Bidston provided an update to the Kootenay East Regional Hospital District board during a meeting on Sept. 12, noting that the organization is starting to seek out industry and government funding sources for a new aircraft that would help cut down maintenance and operating costs.

The main aircraft operated by Angel Flight is an older model Cessna 414A aircraft, which is pressurized and can operate in inclement weather conditions while carrying five passengers each way during flights to Kelowna. The aircraft engine needed replacing this year, which cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“Our problems are that these spares are becoming harder to find, more expensive all the time, and being a relatively older airplane, there’s a lot of maintenance,” Bidston told the board. “We spent a lot of in the last few years on maintenance.”

Bidston says he is looking at acquiring a newer $3 million single engine turbo prop aircraft that would seat roughly six people.

“It is a very large capital investment but it would actually bring our running costs down,” he said.

Bidston recently sent a letter to the province requesting capital funding support for the new aircraft, and the hospital board also voted to follow up with a letter of support for Angel Flight’s request.

Since the organization was founded in 2019, Angel Flight East Kootenay has transported roughly 3,100 patients to and from Kelowna.

Last year, the organization helped just under 1,000 patients, and this year is tracking to be slightly less due to scheduled aircraft maintenance that impacted flight operations. Angel Flight also had 15 occurrences last year where the aircraft made two round trips to Kelowna in a single day.

The organization currently has eight volunteer pilots, most of whom are commercial airline pilots who fly with Angel Flight when they aren’t working.

For more information on Angel Flight, to book their services, or make a donation, visit www.angelflightek.ca

 

Article originally published in the Castlegar News, September 25, 2025, https://castlegarnews.com/2025/09/25/angel-flight-seeks-funding-for-new-aircraft/

Kimberley resident shares experience with Angel Flight

Kimberley resident Rita Pak wants to spread the word about Angel Flight East Kootenay after the support she’s received from the volunteer-run medical transport service over the past year since a life-altering cancer diagnosis.

Pak was diagnosed with breast cancer in March and was told she would need to start going to Kelowna for multiple appointments and consultations.

“It was already daunting to get a cancer diagnosis for me and my family,” she said. “And then to have to figure out the logistics of getting to and from Kelowna and the next year financially was going to be even more stressful.”

She told The Bulletin that while she had seen a poster for Angel Flight at the Kimberley Medical Clinic and had made donations to them through Save-On-Foods, she never thought she would find herself in need of their services.

“I’m 44 and I just didn’t think I was going to be impacted by cancer this early in my life,” she said. “We have had family members deal with a cancer diagnosis, but for me it was a shock and there’s a lot to consider and put in place when somebody gets a really life-altering diagnosis. Transportation is definitely one of those things that I didn’t have the energy to really think about at the time.”

She decided to reach out to Angel Flight to learn more about what they do and has since been flown by them to and from Kelowna for a few appointments

“I flew with Brent [Bidston, founder and pilot] and I was talking to him about some of the challenges that he’s been facing and how I can help,” she said. “Partially it’s getting the word out to people in the East Kootenay that they’re available. They have helped over 1,000 people last year.

“The number of people has really increased and he saw that since Alberta stopped taking patients from B.C., including children, he’s seen a really huge uptake in need in our region. Because people usually would have in the past gone to Alberta, but now they have to go to Kelowna for specialty appointments.

“In terms of funding, there isn’t a consistent source of funding from the province, even though access to overall health care and medical care is a priority, it’s just Angel Flight is trying to bridge a gap on their own as a charitable organization.”

Pak said she wanted to help, because without Angel Flight she would have had to spend hundreds of dollars, if not $1,000 for a single trip to Kelowna for a one-hour appointment, including gas, accomodation and everything else, plus having to miss three days of work.

“That’s already another out of pocket expense for people who are already in a situation where they need medical care and are already dealing with so much stress, myself included,” she said. “Going to the appointment was scary and having to pay out of pocket to go to this appointment adds an extra burden.”

Pak hopes to not only get the word out about the organization, but encourage people to donate to them if they can, adding Angel Flight is currently down to one plane, and volunteers have been flying double shifts.

She added that while she loves living in Kimberley and that the area has lots of great doctors and health-care providers, there are limitations and hurdles that come with living in a rural community.

“I’ve been really fortunate to have the support of the Canadian Cancer Society and their lodge that’s in Kelowna, Hope Air and the Wheels of Hope,” she said. “All three of those resources along with Angel Flight have been an amazing help while I’m trying to navigate the socio-emotional aspect of having a cancer diagnosis.”

Pak said she’s met many other patients who’ve flown with Angel Flight, including one who told her they were on the verge of ceasing their cancer treatments, as they simply could no longer continue making the drive to and from Kelowna.

“They basically were about to give up until they connected with Angel Flight and it became easier for them to keep travelling to treat their cancer, so it really was life saving for them, because they were ready to just give up and not continue treatment,” she said.

To learn more about Angel Flight East Kootenay, and to make a donation to support their vital work in this region, visit angelflightek.ca.

As originally posted in the Nelson Star, August 22, 2025

Kimberley resident shares experience with Angel Flight

Angel Flight EK founder receives King Charles Medal

Angel Flight East Kootenay founder and pilot Brent Bidston has received the King Charles III Coronation Medal, recognizing his exceptional dedication to our community.

“This accolade honours Brent’s tireless efforts and the remarkable impact of our fully volunteer-run charity, reflecting the spirit of compassion and service that defines Angel Flight East Kootenay.

“Thank you for celebrating this achievement with us and for your continued support. We are deeply grateful for this recognition and extend our heartfelt thanks to Kootenay – Columbia MP Rob Morrison for the nomination,” Angel Flight East Kootenay noted on social media.

Lead image: From left, MP Rob Morrison with Brent and Janet Bidston. Angel Flight East Kootenay photo

As originally posted in e-know.ca, https://www.e-know.ca/regions/east-kootenay/angel-flight-ek-founder-receives-king-charles-medal/

September 13, 2024

Angel Flight reflects on a busy 2024

This year has been an extraordinary one for Angel Flight East Kootenay, a volunteer-run, non-profit organization dedicated to providing free air transportation for residents of the East Kootenay region of British Columbia. Its mission is to ensure that individuals can access critical medical treatments and specialists in Kelowna, which are otherwise unavailable in our region.

Since inception in 2019, the demand for Angel Flight’s services has grown exponentially. This year, the organization reached a new milestone, transporting an impressive 1001 passengers. To put this in perspective, Angel Flight flew 570 people in 2022 and 654 in 2023.

To meet the rising need, Angel Flight has had to make significant adjustments to its schedule this year. Each rotation, Cranbrook-Kelowna-Cranbrook, costs approximately $1500. Normally, it operates one rotation three days a week with a Cessna 414A aircraft, which can carry five passengers each way. However, to accommodate the increased demand, Angel Flight had two options: add another day per week or conduct double rotations on the existing schedule. In 2023, Angel Flight performed four same-day double rotations; in 2024, it has already completed fourteen.

Several factors contribute to this surge in demand. Growing awareness of Angel Flight’s services has played a significant role. Additionally, Alberta’s healthcare system is accepting fewer patients from British Columbia and now excludes children. Consequently, Angel Flight has transported five neonate babies this year. While most children are referred to Vancouver Children’s Hospital, an increasing number require travel to Kelowna.

As Angel Flight reflects on this year, it is sincerely grateful for the continued support from the communities across the region. During this holiday season, Angel Flight extends a heartfelt thanks and warmest wishes for a joyous holiday season and a happy, healthy New Year.

As originally posted in the Cranbrook Daily Townsman, https://www.cranbrooktownsman.com/news/angel-flight-reflects-on-a-busy-2024-7706287
December 16, 2024