WHERE IN THE WORLD IS GUS?

Our beloved North Country Life Flight teddy bear, Gus, has decided to see the world, and send us pictures of wherever he goes! Do you know where he is?

Visit the North Country Life Flight Facebook page and leave your comments and guesses there. Hopefully he will bring us a t-shirt...

My letter to area editors has been published in quite a few area newspapers in Hamilton, Essex, St. Lawrence and Franklin counties recently. Many thanks to the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, Press Republican, Tupper Lake Free Press, Adirondack Weekly, The Lake Placid News, The Adirondack Express, Hamilton County News and North Country Now for publishing the letter. I felt it important, as always, to let North Country Life Flight know how much my family and I appreciate them for helping to save my life. I have met many other patients and their families who share that appreciation.
David and I never take the mission of North Country Life Flight for granted. We often see the helicopter flying near our home as it transports patients to Burlington, Plattsburgh, Albany; whatever medical facility is most appropriate. It’s always disturbing to think of someone critically ill or injured on board; but also comforting to know that Life Flight’s specially trained critical care flight team is getting them to where they will get the care they need. I have no memory of my Life Flight; but when I hear that helicopter I feel safe for some reason. It always comforts me. Maybe somewhere in my subconscious I do remember that flight.
Last week, David and I were even more grateful for Life Flight as we got a phone call one evening that his cousin Guy (Orv) Stephenson, one of our dearest friends, had suffered a heart attack while at work in Lake Placid and was flown from Adirondack Medical Center to CVPH. Our cousin will be just fine thank God. We also thank North Country Life Flight for, as my sister Mary wrote me, "saving two of the most important people in David’s life."
Here’s my letter to local editors. David and I have sent our check to North Country Life Flight and I hope you will join us in helping to raise $20,000 this summer to say thank you for 20 years of air rescue missions. Please be as generous as you are able.

Dear Editor:
This year marks the 20th year that North Country Life Flight has served our region with its air rescue mission. When I experienced a critical illness; one I was not expected to survive, North Country Life Flight came to my aid. I credit them with not only being part of the team that helped save my life, but they also helped minimize my disabilities through their excellent care and quick transport to a distant trauma center.
You don’t see their name in papers or media often. Given the critical injuries and illnesses of their patients, along with concerns for privacy, they don’t seek publicity for the work they do. But I can tell you, they are an extremely professional and hardworking group of people that deserve our support. They do their job quietly; they are "neighbors helping neighbors."
Today, I write this as a volunteer with North Country Life Flight; I’m trying to "pay forward" the tremendous gift of life I was given. I’m hoping everyone who appreciates their 20 years of service will join me in saying thank you and being as generous as they are able. We’d also love to receive some patient/family stories that we can share on the North Country Life Flight web site and blog. Visit at www.northcountrylifeflight.org
To commemorate this 20th anniversary year, I am asking all my North Country neighbors to join me in supporting their critical service. I am only one of the many patients they have helped over the 20 years but, like many others, I know first-hand how valuable that service is. I’ve met some of the former patients and their families at events. We’ve shared hugs, laughter and even tears. We also share the gratitude for the chance of an extended life that North Country Life Flight helped provide.
I’ve set a goal of $20,000 from new donors this summer to help North Country Life Flight remain a viable service, ready to respond to the needs of this region’s critically ill and injured. Together, we can meet that goal if we all respond today. I’d like 999 of my North Country neighbors to send a check of $20 or more to North Country Life Flight, PO Box 994, Saranac Lake, NY 12983. Whatever you can afford will make a difference. I’ll write my check today. Please join me in supporting this important mission.
Jan Washburn
North Country Life Flight
Ground Team Volunteer

Come visit North Country Life Flight at the Raquette Lake Parents Teachers and Friends 20th Annual Arts and Craft fair Saturday, August 8 from 10:00 am till 4:00 pm at the Raquette Lake School on Route 28. The fair takes place inside the school and is held rain or shine! Life Flight will be represented with a multi-media display featuring its own 20th anniversary of its air rescue missions. The Raquette Lake PTF has again generously agreed to donate the proceeds of the Chinese raffle - items donated by the exhibitors to North Country Life Flight. Drawings take place at 3:30 pm and you need not be present to win.

Artists exhibiting include Fawn Ridge Pottery of Chestertown; South Bay Jewelry of Raquette Lake; Tom Yacovella with prints of his original artwork; Lis Barsuglia-Madsen with her hand-woven clothing, rugs and accessories; Sharron Knapp of Saranac Lake with her popular Polar Fleece products; Richard Schmidt of Clinton with wildlife paintings done on stone and driftwood; David R.C. Oster's pen and ink drawings of historic buildings and Adirondack scenes; Toni Rudd's homemade jams and jellies; Carol Milliman Estes with the famous Milliman fudge and new this year, Debora Everett exhibiting her stunning wildlife art on tree mushrooms. Other items include stained glass, hand-woven baskets, hand-painted clothing and more.

Hope to see you there! Here's a sample of Debora's wildlife art!