March 29, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

Owner found for roaming balloon> Clinton girl’s helium message reaches 6-year-old boy in Stockholm, Maine

CLINTON — When Sarah Bowers of Clinton let a helium balloon fly free several weeks ago, she was dreaming about who might find it. Her 14-year-old sister, Nikia Bowers, however, yelled at her because she thought a duck might swallow the balloon and be injured.

Her mom, Johnette Bowers, questioned her motives as well. “What are you doing that for? You’re wasting a balloon,” the mother recalled saying to her daughter at the time.

Sarah Bowers, however, still looks at the world with unjaded 11-year-old eyes, and she dreamed the balloon would fly free and be found by someone far away.

It turned out she was right. Her balloon, released in Clinton on May 7, was found by a 6-year-old boy in Stockholm, Maine, on May 21 — 180 miles, four counties and two weeks later.

“I thought maybe someone would just pop it and not care about it. Or even make fun of it,” said Sarah. The girl had only written “Hi From Clinton, Maine!” on the balloon and had not added her name or address.

So, when first-grader Tim Scheidler and his mom, Kate, found the balloon in their back yard, they asked the Bangor Daily News for help. A picture of Tim and his mother and the balloon was printed in the May 25 edition. It wasn’t until several days later, though, that the Bowers family discovered their balloon in the paper.

“We went to my in-laws in Smithfield, and they showed us the picture. We just couldn’t believe it,” said Johnette Bowers.

“It was my balloon all right,” said Sarah.

Sarah said she called Tim, and the two are developing a pen-pal relationship. “He is sending me a note first and then when I have his address, I’ll write back,” said Sarah.

The Bowers girls have plenty of balloons at their disposal. They both perform as clowns at local birthday parties and parades. A helium tank and balloons are just part of their props.

This isn’t the first time Sarah has tried to reach out to strangers.

“I put my name in a bottle earlier this year and dropped it off the Waterville bridge,” said Sarah. A family in Bowdoinham found it. Just a week ago, Sarah released another helium balloon and this time she put her name and address on it.

“Now I’m thinking of letting a bottle go into the sea,” she said.


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