Prince Albert’s Gord Broda was the winning bid in the Pegasus Project for STARS auction on Friday.
Broda pushed the bid to $1 million on the custom-made ’68 Ford Shelby Mustang 427 at the Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona.
The Pegasus Project funds will go towards purchasing STARS air ambulance fleet equipment, and Broda was happy to do what he could.
“My wife Barb and I certainly believe that the STARS organization is a very important part of our provincial community. It is a very important cause to us,” Broda said.
Broda added that he was happy to bring the car home to Saskatchewan.
“It’s a car that was built in Saskatchewan,” he explained. “I know Byron, the gentleman that built the car, and I think there is a lot of excitement that the car gets to come back to Saskatchewan. (There was) a little bit of motivation in that regard too.”
Broda said described himself as a car guy who already has quite a few cars in his collection. However, he said supporting STARS was just as important.
“I do have a passion for cars and it made it pretty easy,” he said. “We certainly wanted to make a contribution to STARS and this was a really fun and exciting way to do it, to be part of the auction and buy the car and make a donation.”
The Barrett-Jackson Auction House is one of the most prestigious auction houses in the world. Its auctions are watched online by millions, with thousands more in attendance. Broda said having a STARS fundraiser on such an impressive venue will help the organization going forward.
“The Barrett-Jackson is a very big stage,” he explained. “They have become world famous and I think even the auction itself did a lot to get STARS name out there and get some additional recognition.”
Broda said that he and Barb were happy and pleased to win the auction after pushing the price from $900,000 to $1 million.
“The number grew to be a large number and Barb and I were very happy and proud Saskatchewan residents to buy the car and support STARS,” he said.
Broda congratulated the Project Pegasus team for all of their work to build the Mustang.
“I know the car made a lot of showings around the province and generated a lot of interest and there was a lot of hard work and effort by the team,” he said. “Congratulations to them too for having such a successful campaign.”
The Pegasus Project began in 2019 to raise money to renew the STARS’ helicopter fleet, in response to the Humboldt Broncos’ bus crash in April, 2018.
Broncos’ crash survivor Kaleb Dahlgren donated all proceeds from his book “Crossroads” to the cause.