Students and staff at Westville’s Judith Giacoma Elementary School discovered today (Thursday) that they could cram more than 750 people inside the envelope of a hot air balloon! The school was abuzz as a balloon was inflated in the school’s gymnasium to help promote the upcoming Balloons Over Vermilion event. It was a hands-on experience for the students on hot air ballooning.
Students in Shelly Jenkin’s fourth grade class in Westville were earlier picked to be official ambassadors for the event coming July 13th and 14th at the Vermilion Regional Airport. But for this event it was the entire school – not just one class that was involved!
[Note: You can click on the photo to enlarge it.]
All total 749 people plus about a dozen from Balloons Over Vermilion and a few from the news media were inside the balloon envelope for this photo (on May 10, 2018). The photo is courtesy of Balloons Over Vermilion.
Pat O’Shaughnessy, one of the organizers of Balloons Over Vermilion, says unfortunately Wednesday night’s rain and some gusty winds prevented the balloon from being inflated outside. He added he is not sure what the Guinness World Record is for the most people inside a hot air balloon envelope, but he is sure it is a Westville and Vermilion County record. And as for being exciting….O’Shaughnessy adds that it has to rank right up with when Westville High School hosted the first night high school football game in the nation…ninety years ago.
