MONROE - Don Brown bought a hat at the balloon rally in Monroe in 1986, and put a pin on it.
Today that red, "bear balloon" hat carries 22 balloon rally pins.
Brown, or "Brownie," as both he and his twin brother Ron are called, doesn't wear the cap often, usually just to the balloon rally.
"It's pretty heavy," he said. "I have to make sure it's on just right. The backs of the pins scrape your head."
Brown said he has never washed the cap.
"Too many pins to take off," he said.
The $3 pins are collectors' items, but also get the wearer unlimited admission into the fairgrounds where the giant hot air balloons are launched.
Brown said this year's pin will have a prominent place up front so as to be easily seen at the admissions gate.
To prepare for this year's wearing at the balloon rally, Brown is stretching the cap on a lamp shade. The weight of the pins caves in the cap between wearings, he said.
The cap normally rests in Brown's basement sports room among his other sports memorabilia of the Atlanta Braves and Green Bay Packers.
Brown also collects cards with pictures of the balloons that participate in the rally.
"Those are free. The pilots give those out," he said. Brown has collected 13 cards so far.
Brown went up 1,200 feet in a helium balloon once, a prize he won through a drawing by Monroe Clinic, which sponsored the multi-colored balloon. He couldn't remember the exact year.
"It's a lot of fun," Brown said, and highly recommended it for anybody.
To prove his point, Brown said he even got his wife, Becky, to ride in a balloon. Her ride took her 1,300 feet up.
"And she liked it," Brown said.
Brown said he had a good pilot, who won the competition that year.
"When you get in the balloon with a pilot, he shows you what to do, in case something happens to him," Brown said. Brown said his pilot taught him how to check gauges and the helium.
To win a competition, the pilot must land easily and glide to a stop.
"They get points for hitting the target," Brown said, "and they get to drink wine if they win."
The 2008 Balloon Rally pins went on sale May 23 at many businesses and the Chamber of Commerce. This year, the pins come with a packet of coupons for free and discounted items from participating merchants.
Each pin also comes with a chance to win one of 10 grand prizes, including a iSound plasma speaker system from Swiss Colony, an agate and silver balloon pin from Lueke's Jewelers and an overnight stay at one of Monroe's motels.
Proceeds from the pin sales go to support the 23rd Annual Monroe Balloon Festival, June 12-15. Flights will be at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. every day beginning Thursday evening and ending Sunday morning. The gorgeous balloon glows are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights. All flights are weather permitting.
Friday night is the Green County Pork Producers dinner at the fairgrounds.
Today that red, "bear balloon" hat carries 22 balloon rally pins.
Brown, or "Brownie," as both he and his twin brother Ron are called, doesn't wear the cap often, usually just to the balloon rally.
"It's pretty heavy," he said. "I have to make sure it's on just right. The backs of the pins scrape your head."
Brown said he has never washed the cap.
"Too many pins to take off," he said.
The $3 pins are collectors' items, but also get the wearer unlimited admission into the fairgrounds where the giant hot air balloons are launched.
Brown said this year's pin will have a prominent place up front so as to be easily seen at the admissions gate.
To prepare for this year's wearing at the balloon rally, Brown is stretching the cap on a lamp shade. The weight of the pins caves in the cap between wearings, he said.
The cap normally rests in Brown's basement sports room among his other sports memorabilia of the Atlanta Braves and Green Bay Packers.
Brown also collects cards with pictures of the balloons that participate in the rally.
"Those are free. The pilots give those out," he said. Brown has collected 13 cards so far.
Brown went up 1,200 feet in a helium balloon once, a prize he won through a drawing by Monroe Clinic, which sponsored the multi-colored balloon. He couldn't remember the exact year.
"It's a lot of fun," Brown said, and highly recommended it for anybody.
To prove his point, Brown said he even got his wife, Becky, to ride in a balloon. Her ride took her 1,300 feet up.
"And she liked it," Brown said.
Brown said he had a good pilot, who won the competition that year.
"When you get in the balloon with a pilot, he shows you what to do, in case something happens to him," Brown said. Brown said his pilot taught him how to check gauges and the helium.
To win a competition, the pilot must land easily and glide to a stop.
"They get points for hitting the target," Brown said, "and they get to drink wine if they win."
The 2008 Balloon Rally pins went on sale May 23 at many businesses and the Chamber of Commerce. This year, the pins come with a packet of coupons for free and discounted items from participating merchants.
Each pin also comes with a chance to win one of 10 grand prizes, including a iSound plasma speaker system from Swiss Colony, an agate and silver balloon pin from Lueke's Jewelers and an overnight stay at one of Monroe's motels.
Proceeds from the pin sales go to support the 23rd Annual Monroe Balloon Festival, June 12-15. Flights will be at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. every day beginning Thursday evening and ending Sunday morning. The gorgeous balloon glows are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights. All flights are weather permitting.
Friday night is the Green County Pork Producers dinner at the fairgrounds.