The North Central Electric Cooperative will be hosting the flight of the world record setting Touchstone Energy® hot air balloon on Thursday at the Attica Independent Fairgrounds in Attica. Weather-permitting, the balloon will take flight from the grandstand area at the start of the evening’s festivities at 7 p.m.
The colorful 8-story balloon holds 69,000 cubic feet of air, is heated by dual propane burners, and could hold well over 2.2 million light bulbs. Due to its unique size, dynamic colors, and broad audience appeal, the Touchstone Energy balloon generates excitement during its daytime flights and balloon glows after dark. The balloon has been seen by more than 5 million people and has received extensive television and newspaper coverage during the past two seasons while attending balloon events, state fairs, community festivals, cooperative meetings and other special events across the country.
The balloon will be piloted by Bob Scobee of Marysville. He has accumulated about 1600 hours flying balloons in the last 30 years. Ballooning is really his life as he operates a Federal AAA balloon repair and inspection station, sells balloons for Lindstrand Balloons USA, manages a couple local commercial balloon advertising contracts in the Central Ohio area, including one that he has run for over 25 years. He has been a past Balloon Federation of America competitor, has flown balloons in 20 states, and also runs a passenger ride business. One of his favorite things, that never gets old, is sharing the wonder and excitement of ballooning with people that have never been up before.
North Central Electric member Mindy Parsell from Wharton will join Scobee on the hot-air balloon ride. She won the flight as a door prize at the cooperative’s 80th annual meeting and family fun day in June at the Seneca County Fairgrounds.
Scobee will be available along with the North Central Electric team in the sponsor of the day booth from 3 to 7 p.m. to meet with fairgoers and answer questions about piloting hot air balloons. North Central is proud to support the fair as sponsor of the day for Thursday.
The Touchstone Energy balloon serves as a goodwill ambassador for Touchstone Energy Cooperatives across the country, promoting their core values of integrity, accountability, innovation and commitment to community. Touchstone Energy is a national branding program adopted by more than 750 of the nation’s electric cooperatives dedicated to providing superior service to consumers both large and small.