Menu

Caption: Ohio balloonists, like the ones pictured here, donate funds every year to benefit OFBF’s Darwin Bryan Scholarship fund as a way to thank farmers for allowing them to land in their fields. (OFBF File Photo)

The connection between Ohio’s hot air balloon enthusiasts and OFBF’s Darwin Bryan Scholarship may not be as obvious to a non-Farm Bureau member. But the relationship is a long and logical one, if you know the history.

As they float across the countryside, hot air balloon pilots are always on the look-out for open fields in which to land. Typically those open fields belong to a farmer – likely a member of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, according to Steward Gibboney, president of the Central Ohio Balloon Club (COBC).

"We don’t intend to harm crops or damage the soil when we land in a field, and typically the farmers are very understanding," Gibboney said. "But we still want to try to repay the inconvenience, and that’s what led us to developing a fundraiser for Farm Bureau’s Darwin Bryan Scholarship."

This will be the first year for the Central Ohio Balloon Club to contribute to the scholarship fund, but another Ohio balloon club has been donating for many years.

"We regularly land on farm properties in Ohio and are usually greeted warmly by most landowners," according to Diane Greathouse in an e-mail to Farm Bureau about the activities of the Northern Ohio Balloon Pilots’ Association.

She continued: "We are also very receptive to landowners’ questions and concerns. If it weren’t for farms, much of our great flying area would be gone, so as balloonists, we really do appreciate farmers and their communities."

Columbus-area residents will have an opportunity to contribute to COBC’s fund-raising efforts during the Big Bear Balloon Festival June 21 to 23 at Beulah Park in Grove City.

In addition to morning and evening balloon ascensions, the festival offers concerts, fair rides, magicians, and the Balloon Explorium, featuring all kinds of information stations for youth and adults.

COBC will have a "walk-about" balloon in the explorium. For $1 each, visitors can walk into a balloon inflated with cold air to see the inside up close. Funds raised from the walk-about balloon visits will be donated to the Darwin Bryan Scholarship fund, Gibboney said.

For more information about the Big Bear Balloon Festival, visit OFBF’s Web site at www.ofbf.org for a link.

Youth Win Scholarships
Supporting youth as they continue their education is why the balloonists are so involved in the DB Scholarship program. Several youth, who are members of Farm Bureau families, have been recognized with the DB and other statewide scholarships.

Darwin Bryan
Three $950 scholarships have been awarded through the Darwin Bryan Scholarship fund this year to Emily McConnell, Lindsey Ulrey and Heidi Yount.

McConnell of Wellington in Lorain County is senior at The Ohio State University in Columbus where her major is agricultural communications and she is active in the OSU Collegiate FB Council. She is the daughter of James R. McConnell and the late Louise McConnell.

Ulrey of Marengo in Morrow County is the daughter of Larry and Cheri Ulrey. She is a freshman at Ohio State in Columbus majoring in agricultural engineering. She’s been active in the Morrow County Big Dogs FB Youth Council and has served on OFBF’s State Youth Committee.

Yount of New Madison in Darke County is the daughter of Curtis and Rhonda Yount. She is a sophomore in biochemistry and pre-med at Ohio Northern University in Ada. She served as adviser for a youth council in Darke County and has participated in several state youth council activities.

AFBF/Monsanto
Three Ohioans have been honored with the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture and Monsanto Company 2002 Commitment to Agriculture Scholarship. Each will receive $1,500 to pursue a career in agriculture.

Michael Knott from Bluffton in Allen County is the son of Timothy and Suzanne Knott.

Matt LeFever from Wooster in Wayne County is the son of Karl and Lou Ann LeFever.

Tami Shannon of Hillsboro in Highland County is the daughter of Larry and Catherine Shannon.

One hundred youth throughout the country received the award. To qualify, entrants were required to come from a farm family, plan to enroll as a full-time student in an agriculture-related academic major in an accredited school, and be committed to pursuing a career in agriculture.

OSU Agribusiness
Lindsey Pound of Newark in Licking County was awarded Ohio State's Ohio Farm Bureau Scholarship for the 2002-2003 school year.

Pound is the daughter of Fred and Mae Pound and is a junior majoring in agribusiness and applied economics.

This scholarship is open to agribusiness majors at Ohio State and is awarded on the basis of scholarship, leadership and potential contribution to agriculture.