Giant Hot Air Balloon Serves As Classroom For 50 Red Bank Children Early Education Initiative Increases To $500 Million

PNC Launches 15th Anniversary Celebration, Teams with Balloon Festival 

To Help Local Children Grow Up Great

 

RED BANK, NJ — A giant 75-foot-tall hot air balloon will serve as the classroom and playground for 50 local pre-school children, providing a fun and unforgettable learning experience.

 

The QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning and PNC Bank are bringing the balloon into the local community to celebrate the 15th year of PNC’s “Grow Up Great” bilingual early education program so that underserved children may explore the world around them as they prepare for success in school and life. The children from the Monmouth Day Care Center in Red Bank, who are between the ages of 3 and 5 years old, will have the unique opportunity to step inside a giant hot air balloon to experience the thrills and visual attractions this event offers.  

 

PNC is increasing its commitment to early education from $350 million to $500 million; the multi-year initiative began in 2004. 

 

This “walk-through” event will take place at Count Base Park. A giant hot air balloon will be inflated with cold air, laid on its side, and secured to the ground. Festival Executive Producer Howard Freeman will provide an age-appropriate lesson on the science of hot air ballooning, giving the kids a chance to “Grow Up Great!”

 

The balloon is a retired balloon from the 37th annual QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in Association with PNC Bank, to be held July 26-27-28, 2019 at Solberg Airport in Readington, NJ. This event is one of many in which the Festival is brought into local communities throughout the state.

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WHO:             

QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in Association with PNC Bank 

 

WHAT:            

A 75-foot-tall hot air balloon will serve as the classroom and playground for 50 pre-school children between the ages of 3-5 from the Monmouth Day Care Center, who will play inside the cold-inflated balloon and gain hands-on experiential and educational opportunities to learn about the world around them. 

 

WHEN:          

Wednesday, May 29, 2019 

 

WHERE:         

Count Basie Park, Red Bank, NJ 

 

PHOTO CAPTION INFORMATION

50 pre-school children who attend the Monmouth Day Care Center in Red Bank had the opportunity to explore the inside of a 75-foot-tall hot air balloon Wednesday, May 29 courtesy of PNC Bank’s Grow Up Great early education program and the QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning. The balloon was a retired balloon from the annual festival, which will be held July 26-28, 2019 at Solberg Airport in Readington, NJ and feature more than 100 balloons from around the world. To learn more visit www.balloonfestival.com. 

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MEDIA CONTACT:    

Russ Mensch

Mensch & Company, Inc.

Public Relations & Event Marketing

201-797-2448 

[email protected]