Our high-flying history
Founded in 1986, the Balloon Race Scholarship Committee is a volunteer-powered unit at the University of Nevada, Reno that supports undergraduate and graduate students through annual scholarship awards. Our dedicated team of volunteers sells raffle tickets, commemorative pins and Sparks Florist's 12 Months of Flowers cards to raise money for each year's subsequent scholarships. In recent years, the commemorative pins have been designed by graphic design students at AACT High School.
Every year on the Wednesday before the Great Reno Balloon Race begins, our committee hosts a raffle of over 100 items donated by local businesses and other partners. The committee donates six balloon rides in the University’s sponsored balloon as part of the drawing.