BIG SKY – For the second year in a row the Gallatin Composite Squadron of the Montana Civil Air Patrol volunteered at the Big Sky PBR and received funding from the 50/50 raffle. The winner of this year’s 50/50 raffle donated their portion of the raffle back to the air patrol, totaling $3,380 from Thursday night.
At the 10th annual PBR in Big Sky last summer, the air patrol received $1,050 from the 50/50 raffle, as well as an additional $2,000 donation from Outlaw Partners for outstanding volunteerism. The money from last year’s event went into buying a trailer which serves as a mobile communication center as well as a storage unit. The trailer was at PBR this year, providing much needed space for event supplies such as tents and tables.
The trailer is equipped with two, 250-watt solar panels, radios, computers for flight simulations and high frequency antennas capable of communicating across state lines as well. In addition, the trailer has charging stations for drones and satellite tracking devices.
Funding from this year’s 50/50 raffle will go to three areas of the civil air patrol: cadet programs, aerospace education and emergency services. Funding for emergency services will go towards training equipment and continuing to outfit their new trailer. Cadet program funding will go to buying uniform supplies and continuing the program. Aerospace education funding will go to purchasing drones and RC planes.
