Operation Airdrop Presents the Wings of Hope Award
Burnet, Texas – On Independence Day, 2026, Operation Airdrop had the honor of presenting the first-ever Wings of Hope Award to Ed Holley and the Commemorative Air Force’s Highland Lakes Squadron in recognition of their outstanding support following the July 4, 2025, Texas Hill Country floods.
The award was presented at the Highland Lakes Squadron Museum in Burnet, Texas, where aviation history, community service, and disaster relief came together to recognize a group that stepped forward when communities needed help most.
“Ed Holley and the Commemorative Air Force’s Highland Lakes Squadron stepped up when communities needed them most,” said Russ Keith, Executive Director of Operation Airdrop. “The Wings of Hope Award recognizes their extraordinary service, leadership, and commitment to helping their neighbors.”
Honoring Service After the Central Texas Floods
Following the devastating Central Texas floods, many communities across the Hill Country were cut off by floodwaters, damaged roads, and dangerous conditions. Operation Airdrop mobilized volunteer pilots, aircraft, ground volunteers, donors, and community partners to move critical supplies quickly to areas where traditional transportation was limited or unavailable.
During the response, Ed Holley and the Highland Lakes Squadron helped Operation Airdrop stage, coordinate, and support the delivery of urgently needed disaster relief supplies. Their support helped make possible more than $101,000 in direct disaster relief, 106 general aviation flights, and the delivery of 77,876 pounds of supplies across Central Texas.
Those supplies included:
- 17,500 pounds of food
- 24,147 pounds of water and electrolytes
- 175 chainsaws for search-and-rescue teams
- 8,142 pounds of cleaning supplies
- More than 1,900 gallons of pickle juice to support search-and-rescue and recovery efforts
The Central Texas flood response was a powerful example of what Operation Airdrop does best: bringing together aviation, logistics, and community support to deliver hope when disaster strikes.
The Wings of Hope Award
The Wings of Hope Award was created to recognize individuals and organizations whose service reflects the heart of Operation Airdrop’s mission: delivering critical supplies, strengthening disaster response, and bringing hope to communities impacted by natural disasters.
For Operation Airdrop, the first presentation of this award could not have been more fitting. Ed Holley and the Highland Lakes Squadron represented the kind of leadership, service, and community commitment that makes disaster relief possible.
Their efforts helped support a mission that reached communities when they were hurting, when access was difficult, and when time mattered.
Partners Who Helped Deliver Hope
Operation Airdrop’s missions are made possible by the people and organizations who answer the call when help is needed.
We are grateful to Twisted X Boot Company for donating 300 pairs of boots for first responders, helping provide practical support to those working in difficult and dangerous conditions.
We also extend our thanks to Best Maid Pickles, which sent an 18-wheeler loaded with 22 pallets of one-gallon jugs of pickle juice, totaling more than 1,900 gallons, to support search-and-rescue teams and recovery crews operating in extreme conditions.
Operation Airdrop is also thankful for the Texas National Guard, whose support helped fly supplies into the disaster zone and reach communities impacted by the floods.
These partners, along with countless volunteers, donors, pilots, and local organizations, helped turn compassion into action.
Operation Airdrop’s 2025 Missions
The Wings of Hope Award also serves as a reminder of the broader work accomplished by Operation Airdrop and its partners throughout 2025.
In addition to the Central Texas floods, Operation Airdrop supported disaster relief and recovery missions connected to Typhoon Halong in Western Alaska, Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica, and continued long-term recovery support following Hurricane Helene.
Across these missions, Operation Airdrop helped move supplies, coordinate volunteer aircraft, support community partners, and respond to urgent needs in areas impacted by severe weather and natural disasters.
Every mission is different, but the purpose remains the same: when communities are cut off, isolated, or overwhelmed, Operation Airdrop works to connect resources with the people who need them most.
Thank You to Those Who Make the Mission Possible
Operation Airdrop is proud to recognize Ed Holley and the Highland Lakes Squadron for their outstanding support after the July 4, 2025, Texas Hill Country floods.
We are also deeply grateful to the volunteer pilots, ground crews, donors, sponsors, first responders, military partners, local leaders, and nonprofit organizations who helped make this mission possible.
Disaster relief is never accomplished by one person or one organization. It takes neighbors helping neighbors, communities coming together, and partners willing to act when the need is urgent.
To Ed Holley, the Highland Lakes Squadron, Twisted X, Best Maid Pickles, the Texas National Guard, and everyone who helped deliver hope to Central Texas: thank you.
Together, we deliver hope.
