The 'Baby Boomer' (photos courtesy of Kinetic Energies)

By Liam Verster

Baby Boom supports Stollery's

‘Baby Boomer’ use will raise money for Stollery’s Children’s Hospital Foundation

Jan 25, 2021 | 7:14 AM

Grande Prairie based Kinetic Energies Incorporated is going to be using a special side boom to raise money for the Stollery’s Children’s Hospital.

Jim Bailey, the pipelines manager for Kinetic Energies Inc., says they were inspired to launch this project by NTL Pipelines, which had used a side boom, nicknamed Eva Marie, to raise money for the Eva Marie Cancer Support Fund at the Community Foundation of Northwestern Alberta.

READ MORE: NTL’s new pink side boom will raise money and awareness for breast cancer

When NTL shut down it’s operations, Kinetic Energies Inc. tried to purchase ‘Eva Marie’ at auction to continue it’s legacy, but unfortunately it went for too much money.

Still, that didn’t deter Bailey, who wanted to do something to continue the tradition of giving back.

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“We had this one in the yard here, and it’s a 1966 cat side boom, and I got thinking about it and I’m a baby boomer, in them years, and it was built in them years, so I came up with ‘let’s name it Baby Boomer, and then we can take all our donations and donate it to the Children’s Stollery Hospital Foundation for all the babies and families that need housing, fuel, et cetera to get there,” says Bailey.

Kinetic Energies got in contact with Stollery’s who were very supportive of the idea, and even provided the company with the paint and decals to use on the boom.

Jonathan Billings, owner of Kinetic Energies Inc., says the boom will be the first one out and last one in, and any revenue it generates will go to support the cause.

“So roughly the machine goes out and it probably would generate around $30 to $45 an hour of revenue, like profit that will just go straight to the Stollery. And it’ll work roughly eight to ten hours a day, and probably 14 to 20 days a month,” says Billings.

He and Bailey say it’s a rough estimate, as it’s use depends on market needs, but the ‘Baby Boomer’ should be able to raise close to $5,400 a month for the foundation.

Bailey also says he hopes that the ‘Baby Boomer’ will inspire others to think of creative ways to give back.

“When we’d done this, it was just kind of my hope that some of the other companies, the local guys, if they’re doing okay and can take some little piece or some little thing from their company and pick a charity of their choice. Whatever it is, it’s tough times for everybody, and if they can afford to take a little wee bit of a piece and give somebody else a little bit of help there, it’s all about the people,” says Bailey.

The Stollery’s Children’s Hospital Foundation provides financial support to offset the travel and accommodation expenses of families seeking medical treatment for their sick children, and Bailey says it’s an important cause to support as they help lots of families in Grande Prairie and the Peace Region get access to the medical care their children need.