It’s time to support University Balloon Race Scholarship drive

Heather Sanderson, left, received the graduate scholarship and Winifred Scharosch, received the undergraduate scholarship

The university’s Balloon Race Scholarship Committee is once again selling its $5 balloon pins and $1 scholarship benefit drawing tickets in anticipation of the 26th Great Reno Balloon Race, Sept. 7-9 at Rancho San Rafael Regional Park. The committee (celebrating its 21st year) exists solely to raise the money to award two $2,000 scholarships annually (a $500 increase from 2006), one to an undergraduate student and one to a graduate student at the university.

This year’s undergraduate recipient is Winifred Scharosch, a prebusiness major from Reno who hopes to specialize in marketing. The graduate scholarship recipient, Heather Sanderson, also of Reno, is working toward a master’s degree in elementary education.

Through continued support from Cary Groth, University director of Intercollegiate Athletics, the committee is also selling a separate $5 grand prize ticket, which enters buyers into a drawing to win two tickets to the Wolf Pack’s Nov. 2 football game at New Mexico State. In addition to the game tickets, the winner will fly with the team to Las Cruces and receive one night’s lodging (Nov. 1).

Each year, the committee also designs a new balloon pin and secures scholarship benefit drawing prizes from the community. The prize drawing will be held at noon Wednesday, Sept. 5 at Jot Travis Student Union, Room 245.

During the drawing, the committee raffles six balloon rides for use during race weekend in the university’s sponsored balloon. Other prizes include tickets for Wolf Pack football, golf packages, several restaurant gift certificates, and overnight stay and show tickets at LakeTahoe as well as other great prizes. The drawing event is a brown bag lunch and beverages will be provided.

Log on to the committee’s website, www.unr.edu/balloonrace, for prizes and a list of scholarship benefit drawing ticket and pin sellers near you or to see this year’s pin.

Next month, the university balloon will launch Thursday morning, Sept. 6 from the Quad with special guests as passengers during the race’s Media Day activities. Come out and watch the launch before heading to work.

Finally, the committee also staffs a Great Reno Balloon Race hospitality tent and takes $5 donations for its balloon pins during race weekend. Stop by and say hello at the park.

Look for a feature story on the scholarship recipients in a future edition of Nevada News, http://www.unr.edu/news/.

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