ACCESSORIES - Accessories
How to go about a balloon race or balloon launch
The detail below describes how to go about a balloon race or balloon launch if you are a school organising a fund-raising activity.
WHY ORGANISE A BALLOON RELEASE?
Schools originally get involved with balloons to raise money. This method is proven to work and guarantees an outstanding return on your investment. In addition there are other real advantages to organizing a balloon release that perhaps do not immediately come to mind.
Your local press will certainly attend your event if they are made aware that a photogenic end is guaranteed - a balloon launch can look great in the local newspapers! Local publicity is a most welcome outcome, and whether your event is a balloon race or balloon launch, it will help to raise extra publicity - and hopefully money! - for your endeavour. By advertising that balloons will be released from a balloon net at the end of your event you will ensure that visitors stay to see this spectacular conclusion. Sideshows or other money raising methods will continue to make money throughout the afternoon rather than 'tail off' as visitors leave before closing. Display material is easily produced both before and after the event. A wall map indicating from where labels released during the balloon launch have been returned is an obvious idea that can help keep the balloon race - and the cause attached to it - fresh in people's memories. Links can be made with other schools holding a balloon launch both nationally and abroad. The local community will be aware of your efforts and the image of your school will certainly improve. Many subject areas within your school will be able to use the balloon release to their benefit - Art, Modern Languages, and Geography to name just three. Balloon launches can be educational as well as fund-raising events.
ABOVE ALL IT WORKS AND IT'S FUN!
HOW DOES A BALLOON LAUNCH WORK?
Pupils, staff and friends of the school sell Balloon Race Labels. These are stamped with the name and address of your school. The buyer will write his/her name in the appropriate place on the label. On the day of the event the labels are attached to helium filled balloons which are then released from the balloon net. Each balloon label has a request that the finder should post it back to the school. Prizes are given to those people whose balloon labels are returned from furthest away (many labels have been returned from as far away as Greece, Southern Germany and Northern Scotland).
