at Turf Valley Resort
May 19-21, 2011

Volunteer Crew Member,

Greetings from Preakness Celebration Balloon Crew Headquarters! Please mark your calendars for our Hot Air Balloon Festival scheduled for May 19-21, 2011. Again this year, all activities will be at Turf Valley Resort in Howard County.

Twenty ++ hot air balloons will participate and volunteer crew members are needed. See the festival home page for schedule of all events.

We are thankful for those of you who have volunteered over the past 23 years to be chase crew members for the pilots coming in from out of town. We hope your interest in ballooning brings you out again this year. We need to know the dates and times you and/or your family members can participate. See crew photos from past years.

Crew time schedule commitment:
>> Mass ascension balloon setup for flight begins at 6:30AM and 6:30PM starting on Thursday PM and ending on Saturday AM. You will be required to register at crew check-in on the parking lot next to the launch field by 5:45 AM for morning flights and 5:45PM for evening flights so we may assign you to your balloon and introduce you to the pilot.

>> Balloon Glows take place on Thursday and Friday evening beginning at 8:30PM. You will be required to sign up at crew registration on parking lot next to the launch field by 7:30PM.

>> Generally for each evening we will have about 10 balloons flying away and 10 balloons staying to glow. For each morning ascension we plan on most balloons flying away. And just a few will standup only and answer questions from the spectators.

To be a volunteer crew member, please do the following:
1.- REGISTER-ON-LINE
2.-Print, sign, bring with you the CREW WAIVER and give to me on the launch field.
3.-Review CREW GUIDELINES

Keep current on plans and updates by watching this website. We will also keep you informed by our crew emailing list.

Please contact me, if you have any questions. Thanks again and we look forward to working with you!

Sincerely,
Dick Ruehl
Volunteer Crew Coordinator

410-465-7117
ruehl02@verizon.net