Jackson, Wyo. — Teton County Search & Rescue Foundation is excited to announce that it is on the precipice of reaching its goal of purchasing a year-round rescue helicopter for Teton County Search & Rescue. With six weeks left in the fundraising campaign—called Mission Critical—TCSAR Foundation is presenting the community with the unique opportunity to have every donation tripled. This is due to the generosity of two anonymous local donors who are pledging to match the next $50,000 donated to Mission Critical.
The community can help bring a rescue ship home to Teton County by having every donation tripled for the next six weeks. Photo: Dirk Collins
Since August 2022, TCSAR Foundation has raised 99 percent of the funding needed to purchase a year-round backcountry-dedicated helicopter for Teton County. This amount stems from roughly 1,000 individual donations since Mission Critical was launched last summer. If the community can come together to raise another $50,000, TCSAR Foundation can successfully close out the campaign.
TCSAR does not own—and never has owned—a helicopter. TCSAR currently leases a rescue helicopter for eight months out of the year, leaving a critical gap in their ability to respond to life-threatening injuries. The lease model also puts TCSAR in jeopardy of not receiving a contracted helicopter in the future.
With this excellent opportunity to triple every donation, TCSAR Foundation is asking everyone to pitch in for what will be a true community asset. A successful campaign means that Teton County will have an on-call rescue helicopter available 365 days a year. The helicopter will also be available to fight fires that threaten local homes and businesses, be able to respond to natural disasters, and be a resource for other backcountry emergencies in Teton County.
Each year, TCSAR volunteers collectively donate 10,000 hours of their time to perform rescues, complete training exercises, provide education, and participate in community events. As backcountry use has exploded in our area, the volunteers are repeatedly called upon to respond to people in need of their help. Last year, nearly half of all rescues performed by TCSAR were for local and regional residents. Investing in the SAR ship is an investment for the health and safety of all backcountry users in our community.
For the next several weeks, TCSAR Foundation will continue its Mission Critical spring tour to get the word out and collect donations. To see the full schedule and to donate to the campaign, visit www.TetonCountySAR.org/mission-critical.