Volunteers are the backbone of our community, collectively contributing hundreds of thousands of hours of work every year.
Our Unsung Heroes series will shine a spotlight on some of the local residents working quietly in the background to keep our community thriving.
“It’s always great to be up in the air in my own aeroplane, but it’s a special feeling to have patients on board,” pilot Owen Crees says.
He’s had his wings for about half a century and has spent the last 20 of those volunteering with Angel Flight – transporting country residents from around Australia to medical appointments.
Originally from Queensland, he now lives in Heathfield and has clocked up 500 flights with Angel Flight since he first stumbled across an advertisement for volunteer pilots in an aviation magazine around 2005.
“The vast majority of those (hours) have been in the last decade since I retired from full-time work,” he says.
“They have taken me to places as far afield in South Australia as Ceduna, Oodnadatta and Mt Gambier and to interstate destinations including Narrabri, Wagga Wagga and Melbourne.
“… I see many passengers on multiple trips so we get to know each other and I see first-hand how something which is just a pleasure for me makes such a difference to their lives.
“It is particularly poignant to hear many passengers say that, without Angel Flight, they would not be able to get to their essential medical treatment.”
Owen is also involved in flying doctors to KI to boost medical services there, saving them about four hours of travel time each way, meaning they can spend more time with patients.
Angel Flight was founded in 2003 to provide free, non-emergency flights and ground transport to help people living in rural and regional areas access specialist medical treatment. The service has more than 8000 volunteers and has provided more than 62,000 flights.
“No flight feels like a chore – every flight feels like a privilege,” Owen says.
“… I’ve met wonderful people, been to a lot of interesting towns around SA, learned a lot about country life in a very dry state (so much different to tropical Queensland), all while enjoying my favourite pastime.
“What’s not to love?”
