The RE/MAX hot air balloon, one of the nation’s best known corporate symbols, soared through the skies of the Rockford real estate market on Wednesday afternoon to celebrate RE/MAX Global Balloon Day, a multi-nation 30th anniversary event on Oct. 8 that marked the inaugural flight of the RE/MAX balloon.
With experienced pilot Bennett Schwontkowski at the controls, the balloon flew from a rural location northwest of Rockford, Ill., crossing I-90 and the town of Machesney Park before landing in a farm field west of Poplar Grove, Ill.
The 50 minute flight covered a bit more than 10 miles, during which the balloon attracted waves and shout from dozens of people as it floated along 500 to 1,000 feet above the ground propelled by a gentle west wind. The takeoff was aided by a group of neighbors who volunteered to help steady the balloon as it was inflated.
The RE/MAX balloon made its first appearance at the annual Albuquerque Balloon Festival in Albuquerque, N.M., in 1978, five years after RE/MAX was founded. It soon became the company’s official corporate symbol.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
RE/MAX Balloon Celebrates Its 30th Anniversary With Flight Near Rockford Real Estate Market
