Pumpkins fall from sky at St. Ignatius airport
Unique fundraiser collects money for annual fireworks show
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ST. IGNATIUS — The community came together on Saturday, Oct. 7, to watch pumpkins drop out of an airplane at the St. Ignatius Airport.
The event was held as a fundraiser for next year’s Good Old Days fireworks show.
Blackfoot Communication and the Brett Thoft Memorial Foundation sponsored the event along with several others.
The Brett Thoft Memorial Foundation was giving out coats for any child who needed one. There were also plenty of things for the kids to do at the event, including face painting.
Apple bobbing drew in participants as folks dunked their heads into a barrel of water and attempted to bite into an apple, no hands allowed.
Another line was filled with people waiting for the free barbeque with burgers and hot dogs.
To win at the pumpkin drop, participants needed to buy a ticket.
Pumpkins were then dropped out of the airplane and landed on a square with numbers. If a person’s ticket matched the number the pumpkin landed on, they won $250.
Pilot Mike Kuefler said, “There was a lot of planning that went into dropping the pumpkins. You have to be at the right height and stay at a consistent speed (while flying) or the pumpkin will miss, and then, we have to make another pass.”
During drop four, the airplane made a couple passes before finally getting the pumpkin on target.
To drop a pumpkin, it takes three people: the pilot and two others. The two others are bombardiers, or bomb aimers, and the bomb is a pumpkin in this case. One bombardier has to pick the right time to drop the pumpkin and the other has to drop it on time.
Winners of the pumpkin drops were Jori Hunter who won the first board, Bob K who won the second, Lily Swatosh who won the third and David Passieri who won the fourth drop. The 4 Star Bar won the fifth drop while Brett Harris won the sixth and Diane Gujda the seventh. Jim Ward won the final drop.
Event announcer Stuart Morton said to participants: “ I want to thank everyone who came out and supported the event, but I also want to thank the sponsors who helped put the event on today.”
