Celebrating a Successful and Inspiring Yellowstone International Airshow

What a week! I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude and share in celebrating the remarkable success of the Yellowstone International Air Show, an event we proudly sponsored as Intermountain Health. The air show featured breathtaking aerobatics, and also the strength of our hospital's commitment to our community. Through our title sponsorship, we not only presented a thrilling spectacle to our city and beyond but also demonstrated our dedication to promoting well-being, unity, and shared experiences. 

We should all take pride in delighting more than 30,000 attendees, and countless volunteers and vendors, with an unforgettable event. And true to our mission of improving the health of those we serve, we partnered with local EMS providers to deliver medical assistance and first aid to nearly 60 attendees, helping to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all. Additionally, we provided relief from the heat and ear protection by distributing more than 5,500 bottles of water, 2,000+ cooling towels, 500 bottles of sunscreen and more than 800 sets of ear plugs. 

Huge shout out to our caregivers who supported our Intermountain Health medical services tent and booth leading up to and during the air show. I would also like to recognize those who continued to care for our patients throughout the weekend here at the hospital.

Leading up to the weekend's festivities, our caregivers were able to take part in memorable experiences throughout the week.  

Four of our caregivers, Joyce, Dan, Joan and Chad, who have supported our healing ministry and lived out our mission for decades at St. Vincent - collectively, they're celebrating nearly 150 years of service! - were able to step away from the bedside and experience quite a thrill soaring through the sky over Billings with the Yellow Thunder, a two-plane aerobatic team that flies a Harvard / T-6 Texan. 

On Friday morning, we had the honor to welcome members of the Blue Angels team for a special visit to our hospital. The team met with caregivers and patients providing hope and inspiration for those who were unable to experience the airshow performance. Every heartwarming encounter they had with our patients, families and caregivers was filled with smiles, laughter and hope as they rounded through the hospital. 

Later that afternoon, we welcomed Rear Admiral Matthew Case and other members of the Navy for a special recognition of our caregivers who have served our country in the military. As commander of Naval Medical Forces Atlantic, he shared a powerful and moving recognition of our caregivers. He presented a special certificate of appreciation for our St. Vincent Veterans, who served our country in the U.S. armed forces and continue to serve our community as St. Vincent caregivers. He shared: 

“They are heroes times two because they choose to do a profession that is bigger than themselves, they choose to take care of others, and at the same time, they chose to serve their country, and I can't think of anything more honorable than that.”

Mark Korth, President of the Peaks Region, Intermountain Health took part in the celebration with RDML Case and extended his gratitude to our caregivers while sharing a quote by a 19th Century philosopher who once said this about those who help heal those in need, “You are a refuge to the fearful, you bring rest and peace to the disturbed; you make provisions for the destitute and are a treasury of riches for the poor. With your touch and kind eyes, you are healing medicine for those who suffer pain. You are a doctor and nurse to the ailing, promoting friendship, honor, and devotion to a higher power. In this world that sometimes suffers – you offer peace and healing.” 

Our partnership with the Yellowstone International Air Show was an opportunity to showcase our values at St. Vincent and Intermountain Health, our commitment to excellence and to honor our own caregivers who have served and are currently serving in the U.S. armed forces. Together, we have showcased the heart and soul of our organization, and I am immensely proud to be part of such an exceptional team. 

Sincerely, 

Jen Alderfer, President
St. Vincent Healthcare & Montana | Wyoming Market, Intermountain Health