September is International Balloon Month

TRENTON, N.J., Aug. 31, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sharing smiles and Smart Balloon Practices are the focus of this year's #LiftUpSomebody campaign which is part of the International Balloon Month celebration.

The #LiftUpSomebody campaign inspires people around the world to "thank" someone special in their community by giving them balloons, and then share those moments of joy on social media. The campaign also encourages people to promote and follow the motto: "Don't let go: Inflate. Weight. Enjoy."

"Giving balloons to important people in our community such as firefighters, care givers and teachers, helps spread goodwill and demonstrates the positive power of balloons. This also provides a great opportunity to increase awareness of the proper ways to use and handle balloons, so they don't wind up in places where they don't belong," said Lorna O'Hara, Executive Director of The Balloon Council which sponsors the #LiftUpSomebody campaign.

"Simple practices such as always weighting balloons, popping and disposing of them after the celebration, never inhaling helium, making sure children are always supervised when playing with balloons, and most importantly never releasing balloons, are just some of the tips we are encouraging people to share," explained O'Hara.

The Balloon Council recently announced a revised stance on balloon releases to emphasize the fact that balloons should not be released. "Over the years, as the social and political climates have changed, our position has also evolved. This change in stance fully recognizes the need for everyone to be as 'green' as we possibly can be to protect our planet," said Dan Flynn, Chairman of The Balloon Council. "Our new motto is "Don't let go: Inflate. Weight. Enjoy."

Photos using #LiftUpSomebody that are shared on Facebook and Instagram (@balloonsliftup) will automatically be entered into the photo contest. Winners will be featured on balloonsliftup.com and announced at the FLOAT 2019 convention. 

Schools and community youth groups are encouraged to take the "Faraday Pledge Card Challenge" and compete to see which organization fills out the most pledge cards. The pledge is part the national "Meet Faraday: Smart Balloon Practices" campaign that is travelling around the U.S. to educate communities about smart balloon practices.

The Balloon Council is a non-profit organization made up of responsible retailers, distributors, and manufacturers dedicated to educating others about the wonders of balloons and the proper handling of them.

For information and contest details visit balloonsliftup.com

SOURCE The Balloon Council