Paper Airplanes, Pie, and Plenty of Laughter

Sometimes the best evenings are the ones that don’t go exactly as planned.

At this month’s Tipp City Muster & Mingle, more than 30 veterans gathered for an evening of food, fellowship, and friendly competition. While the original aviation-themed program took an unexpected turn, participants embraced the challenge and transformed the evening into a Top Gun Paper Airplane Flying Competition.

Veterans put their engineering skills, creativity, and competitive spirit to work as they designed and folded paper airplanes before competing in tournament-style flight challenges. With plenty of laughter, good-natured rivalry, and a few surprisingly impressive aircraft designs, the competition quickly became one of the highlights of the evening. Each table was assigned a color, and after plane assembly, competed against their seatmates. Each table champion then competed head to head. After several rounds of flights, Mark earned the title of Muster & Mingle Top Gun and took home a $15 Olive Garden gift card.

Guests also enjoyed a community meal featuring ham and Swiss sliders, broccoli salad, and applesauce cups. The dessert table showcased the generosity that makes Muster & Mingle special, with homemade banana, coconut, and walnut cookies provided by veteran Sue and six pies shared by veteran George.

While the airplanes may have been the focus of the evening, the true purpose of Muster & Mingle remained the same: bringing veterans, caregivers, and their families together to build connections, share experiences, and strengthen the sense of community that supports them long after military service ends.

Operation Veteran and Caregiver Support would like to thank everyone who joined us for another memorable evening. We look forward to seeing both familiar faces and new friends at our next Muster & Mingle gathering. Wondering where you can see us next? Check out our Upcoming Events page by clicking here!