The University's Balloon Race Scholarship Committee is once again selling $5 balloon pins and $1 scholarship benefit drawing tickets (six for $5) in anticipation of the 34th Great Reno Balloon Race, Sept. 11-13 at Rancho San Rafael Regional Park. The committee exists solely to raise the money to award two $1,500 scholarships annually, one to an undergraduate student and one to a graduate student at the university.

This year's undergraduate winner is Michael Asburn, who is majoring in philosophy/anthropology and the graduate winner is Jamie Wenner who is a graduate student in music and performance art (opera).

Each year, the committee also designs a new balloon pin and secures scholarship benefit drawing prizes from the community.  The drawing will be held at noon Wednesday, Sept. 9 at the Joe Crowley Student Union plaza. 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 (two in the Athletic Director's Skybox), golf packages, dinner and a show at the Eldorado, night at the Atlantis, several restaurant gift certificates and much, much more.

Go 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.

The university balloon will launch with special guests as passengers during Media Day activities, the morning of Thursday, Sept. 10 from the Quad.  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.

For more information you can also email Carole Anderson at andersoc@unr.edu or 784-6824.