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| Barbara Levinson recently set out to learn non-round weaving techniques. Her first ever Large Sculpture entry deserves honorable mention in our books! |
BHQ preparations for 2003 IBAC event coverage and Party Show Scavenger Hunt were unprecedented, although that was not technically a result of long-term planning! Last spring, I (Sheena) agreed to be an IBAC speaker, which meant Larry and I would completely switch our traditional roles and routines. We felt pleasently nervous, but up to the challenge. That was until Larry announced that he and Judy were expecting a baby with the due date in early March... it was time to bring in our ringers.
Debbie Piotrowski, as the BHQ Advertising Director, has spent the past couple of years establishing solid contacts with all the BHQ Sponsors. Debbie did a great job representing BHQ at the National Halloween and Party Show and running the Scavenger Hunt.
Mark Balzer and Marc Summers both had experience in coverage of past events, and they stepped up to the challenge of IBAC in grand style. Over 525 event photos, twice as many as the previous year and hundreds more than any other event, were uploaded and documented in the course of the week. What you didn't see was Marc and Mark photographing Large Sculpture entry building simultaneously, and then debating in the wee hours of the morning who's pictures were better. One attendee sent in a thank-you note for all of the film developing costs we saved her; all of the pictures she wanted were already online!
As for myself, I was honored to be an invited speaker this year, although the week seemed to go by in a blur. I had a lot of fun teaching my classes. As a New Instructor, my secret campaign was to pick up more people in each class than had actually registered for it... a feat I accomplished in 3 out of 4 classes. :-)
None of this could have been accomplished without the accomodation of the IBAC staff. They were a lot of fun to share an office with, and we are in awe of their hard work, dedication, and positive spirit. As office-insiders, we thought we'd finally heard the secret scuttle-butt on the event location for 2004. But alas, we were foiled, as the IBAC staffers gleefully kept the 'staying in Chicago' rumors going even when they thought they were in the room alone. Additionally, we got wonderful words of support from the event attendees, although the number of times we heard statements like 'Hey now you can blame any troubles on Larry' has been a little unsettling for Mr. Moss.
We'd also like to say congratulations once more to all the competitors. The competitions were fierce this year, with amazing techniques used to build sculptures that delighted all audiences. Finally, in preparation for the big 20th anniversary IBAC 2004 celebration, let's have everyone go out and consume 2 boxes of Rice Krispies. Mail in those UPC codes and receive a Glow-in-the-Dark Walt Disney World Lanyard! :-P
If you haven't already, make sure to visit the IBAC 2003 Event Photos.
Last year's precedent, attendees of IBAC and the National Halloween and Party Show were invited to take part in a BalloonHQ.com scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt has proven to be a fun and easy-to-complete event that encourages casual interaction between Balloon HQ sponsors and balloon professionals. Returning a completed game piece entered each person in the prize drawing. We randomly drew one winner from all the completed game cards, and this person won a new Fujifilm FinePix 2800 2MP Digital Camera. This prize is perfect for building an online portfolio and for capturing all the fun and creativity to be shared at future balloon conventions.
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Starry Reflections by Marcy Kozar Potomac, MD |
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