A CrowdFunded Balloon Powered By Handwritten Gratitude
Let's Perpetuate Thankfulness
Our mission is to perpetuate and inspire gratitude by flying a balloon inscribed with YOUR handwritten thank you notes over towns and cities all across the globe.
Inspired from the outpouring of love and gratitude during the Covid-19 pandemic for essential workers, Mike DeBellis, an American Balloonist, and Leandro Corradini Vega, a French Balloon manufacturer, decided to keep a good thing going... Saying THANK YOU loud and proud.
Why? Because expressing gratitude shouldn't just be said in times of struggle. Saying thanks leads to respect, happiness, and is just the right thing to do always, and for everyone. That's why you can write a thank you message to anyone you appreciate, not only essential workers (although they have a special place on the balloon)!
A Community Balloon For All
Since the Thank You Balloon Project is not-for-profit, we went to Kickstarter to source production funding. With 2 days left, we succeeded (thank you backers!!!) uniquely making it the first balloon to ever be built this way. All backers we're gifted spaces on the Thank You Balloon for their messages.
The remainder of the space on the balloon will be split between COVID-19 Heroes, so they may have a unique opportunity to thank those who have inspired them, and school children to help teach them about the power of gratitude.
In the spirit of crowdfunding, the Thank You Balloon will have no one individual pilot or owner, but will be flown community to community by volunteers.
The Thank You Balloon USA Tour
With the help of volunteer hot air balloon pilots and crew (pilots- learn more here!), we'll fly the Thank You Balloon all across communities in the USA, getting in front of and inspiring as many people as possible. We'll even take the T.Y.B. to the largest festivals in the world, like Albuquerque (NM, USA) and Grand Est Mondial in France.
In addition to standard morning and evening flights by the pilots during the tour, we'll bring the balloon to public places, like parking lots of hospitals, grocery stores, or schools - so that TYB's inspiring story and message can be experienced in real life by as many people as possible.
You can follow the production and travels of the Thank You Balloon around the world by tuning into TYB's social channels and website. Videos and photos will be shared from each flight!
As part of our mission to spread a message of Gratitude to the world, our team will seek press and TV coverage on a constant basis.
We hope you join us in this one of a kind adventure. If you would like to volunteer - click here.
Thank You!