Balloon release planned

Published 11:05 am Wednesday, December 7, 2005

By Staff reports



at Friday football game



By Angie Thompson

angie.thompson@gaflnews.com



TIFTON — The release of thousands of red, white and blue balloons at Brodie Field shortly before the Blue Devils’ football game against Ware County Friday will be another public display of small town American pride. Proceeds from the sale of the balloons will aid the Red Cross’s Disaster Relief Fund.

Jan Sellers and Cindy Schneider, co-owners of Tifton’s Party Station on Tift Avenue, said they got the idea for the fund raiser from other “balloon people” who share ideas on the Internet.

“We got lucky because this week’s game is at home,” Schneider said. “There were a lot of ideas floating around, but we liked this one the best.”

The balloons sell for $2 each. Blue Devil fans who plan to go to the game are urged to buy the balloons at the stadium where Sellers and Schneider will be blowing them up with helium. The Party Station will close at 5 p.m. to give the store owners time to begin their work at the stadium.

Anyone can donate or buy a balloon, even if they don’t plan to attend the game. Sign up sheets are available at the Party Station and at Our Flower and Gifts on Central Avenue.

Sellers said the store has 4,500 red, white and blue balloons available and if they are all sold, the entire $9,000 will be donated to the relief effort.

“This (balloon release) is a great way to do it,” Sam Register, interim director of Coastal Plains Chapter of the American Red Cross in Tifton said. “These are just two ladies in business who decided to make a difference and they have done their homework.”

Sellers said she had contacted the Federal Aviation Administration and Register said the Tift County Board of Education has given its thumbs up to the balloon release. Sellers said only latex balloons, a special more biodegradable brand, will be released. No mylar balloons or metallic ribbon, which Sellers said are electricity conductors, will be released.

Register said it is too early to tell how much local money has been collected for disaster relief, but he mailed a check yesterday for $7,400 to the National Red Cross.

Raising money for victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and their families is important now, but Register said “this is only the beginning.”

“The fact that the reserve and guard units could be called to active duty makes it important for us to continue to emphasis the need for blood donors,” Register said. “Donating blood is the one way we can support the people in uniform.”

Register said he attended the prayer service at Northside Baptist Church the Tuesday night of the attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., and was surprised at the number of people who said they were directly affected by the tragedy.

“Dr. Fred Evers asked for anyone in the congregation who had friends or relatives involved to stand up,” Register said. “Forty or 50 stood up and it amazed me.”

“This is small town USA,” Sellers said. “It has affected every man, woman and child.”

Sellers said the store did not have flags in stock, but has ordered flag kits. The store has also sold hundreds of red, white and blue bows.

Balloons will be released at 7:55 p.m. after the Tift County High School Chorus sings the national anthem.



To contact reporter Angie Thompson, call 382-4321, ext. 208.