As the Fourth of July festivities wrap up, the Box-H Community Board is thrilled to announce next year’s Box-H Flyover Raffle. This raffle offers an extraordinary chance to soar through the skies with retired fighter pilot Karl “Gash” Gashler in his historic WWII Warbird T-6 Texan airplane.

If you missed this year’s Box-H flag-raising ceremony, you missed an exciting surprise flyover. “It was completely unexpected. We’ve held the pancake breakfast and flag ceremony for years, but no one anticipated the flyover. Gashler swooped in from behind and buzzed right over the crowd. The excitement was immediate, and people erupted in cheers. It was a beautiful way to honor our country and our veterans,” said Emily Martin, a member of the Box-H Board.

Gashler, who recently relocated to the Fairview area, reached out to Martin to express his desire to engage with the community. “We just moved down about a month ago, and I wanted to get involved. I heard about the Box-H Park tradition every Fourth of July, and I thought it was wonderful. I wanted to volunteer to help make it special and have fun with my new neighbors,” he shared.

During this year’s flyover, Gashler offered TJ Miller, an active-duty Air Force member specializing in explosive ordnance disposal, an unforgettable experience. Next year, the lucky raffle winner will take Miller’s seat for the Fourth of July flyover.

“An interesting aspect is that passengers have full controls in the back seat. During the flyover, I’ll handle the flying, but afterward, we’ll do aerobatics. I’ll let them take the controls and teach them how to fly a bit. We’ll do loops, aileron rolls, and all sorts of fun maneuvers,” explained Gashler.

Tickets for this thrilling experience go on sale today, Wednesday, July 9, at local venues like the Red Baron in Afton and Prater Mountain Health Clinic in Thayne. For just $5, residents can purchase tickets via cash or Venmo. The drawing will take place at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 26, during the highly anticipated 24th of July Celebration at the Box-H Park. Attendees do not need to be present to win, but all ticket purchases must be made in person.

The Box-H Park Community Event on July 25-26 promises fun for all ages, featuring Polynesian dancers, a pig roast, a lawn mower race, a slip-n-slide, and a vibrant parade to celebrate Pioneer Day. Be sure to arrive by 1:00 p.m. on Saturday to find out who will be the lucky winner of the flyover experience next year!