Our Mission

Balloons Over Rockbridge is a 501(c)3 non-profit community group created to bring the balloons back to Rockbridge County for the enjoyment of the whole community and also to help raise funds and awareness for local charities and non-profit organizations through our annual July Hot Air Balloon Festival.  The event is a major fundraiser for two or three selected local charities each year.

 

Our Balloons Over Rockbridge Festival is held at the Oak Hill Cross Country Course at the Virginia Horse Center across the road from the main coliseum. 

FUNDS FROM THE 2024 BALLOONS OVER ROCKBRIDGE HOT AIR BALLOON AND MUSIC FESTIVAL WILL BE DONATED TO THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS:

The Friends of Natural Bridge State Park is a non-profit organization that supports, promotes, and protects the Natural Bridge State Park in Virginia.  The park is a limestone gorge carved out by Cedar Creek and is home to the 215-foot tall Natural Bridge, which was once owned by Thomas Jefferson and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The park is more than just the bridge, it also has beautiful forests, open, rolling meadows, and vistas of surrounding mountains and the James River valley. The Friends of Natural Bridge State Park Organize various activities such as Winter Speaker Series, Kids Fishing Day, Earth Day Programs, Trails Day/Clean the Bay Day, Summer Concert Series, National Public Lands Day and Luminaries Under the Bridge. 

Rockbridge Recovery is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, peer-run resource center for people who struggle with both mental health and substance use. Staff members at our facility are committed to assisting others on their own recovery journeys and have personal experience with addiction. People can receive the assistance they need to escape the cycle of addiction and lay a solid foundation for long-term recovery in our secure and judgment-free environment. 

LEXINGTON FIRE AND RESCUE

ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES

Street Ransom was founded as an extension of Straight Street Roanoke Valley to bring awareness to sex trafficking and to provide services for survivors.  After learning about the prevalence of this issue and the need for survivor care, Straight Street was moved to action. In 2014, Straight Street formed Street Ransom to meet the need in our community.

 To empower the lives of those affected by sexual exploitation through awareness and aftercare.

 

The Balloons Over Rockbridge Board of Directors has set up the Mary Carol Moore Scholarship Fund at Parry McCluer High School in Buena Vista VA. Mary Carol was an active member of our Board of Directors until her death in January of 2021. She also was involved with many other local charities throughout the area. Mary Carol taught and coached for most of her career in the Buena Vista City Public School System. The scholarship will go to a student who is pursuing a career in the education field.and who is an active community volunteer.

FUNDS FROM THE 2023 BALLOONS OVER ROCKBRIDGE HOT AIR BALLOON AND MUSIC FESTIVAL WERE DONATED TO THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS:

Camp LIGHT is a summer day camp program for individuals with special needs and at-risk youth.  Their mission is to show kids with special needs and circumstances that life is only limited by their imagination, and to give them new tools and skills, along with love and support, to inspire them to become anything they can dream. 

https://www.creativeworksfarm.org/camp-light/

The Arc of Rockbridge is non-profit organization dedicated to providing a variety of social opportunities, advocacy support, scholarships, and other services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities as well as their families. Our mission is to promote and protect the human rights of these individuals and to actively support their inclusion and participation in the community.

https://thearc.org/chapter/the-arc-of-rockbridge/

New Freedom Farm is a nonprofit community farm located in Buchanan, Virginia. The farm exists to aid veterans and first responders with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance use, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and other conditions by using the therapeutic activity of interacting with equines, farming, and peer-to-peer support. The end goal is to empower individuals and help them heal by realizing their efforts and contributions.

https://www.newfreedomfarm.org/

he Balloons Over Rockbridge Board of Directors has set up the Mary Carol Moore Scholarship Fund at Parry McCluer High School in Buena Vista VA. Mary Carol was an active member of our Board of Directors until her death in January of 2021. She also was involved with many other local charities throughout the area. Mary Carol taught and coached for most of her career in the Buena Vista City Public School System. The scholarship will go to a student who is pursuing a career in the education field.and who is an active community volunteer.

Street Ransom was founded as an extension of Straight Street Roanoke Valley to bring awareness to sex trafficking and to provide services for survivors.  After learning about the prevalence of this issue and the need for survivor care, Straight Street was moved to action. In 2014, Straight Street formed Street Ransom to meet the need in our community.

 To empower the lives of those affected by sexual exploitation through awareness and aftercare.

 

Funds raised from the 2022 Balloons Over Rockbridge Hot Air Balloon Festival were donated to the following local charities and non-profits.

Rockbridge Area Hospice

Providing care for people with a life limiting illness for the past 35 years. Their mission is to enhance quality of life, so that you can enjoy time with those who mean the most to you.

 

https://www.rockbridgeareahospice.org

 

 

Student Activities Fund

Assists students who would not be able to participate in clubs, sports and extra-curricular activities.

 

 

www.cfrba.org

 

Street Ransom

Street Ransom was founded as an extension of Straight Street Roanoke Valley to bring awareness to sex trafficking and to provide services for survivors.  After learning about the prevalence of this issue and the need for survivor care, Straight Street was moved to action. In 2014, Straight Street formed Street Ransom to meet the need in our community.

 To empower the lives of those affected by sexual exploitation through awareness and aftercare.

 

 

Mary Carol Moore Scholarship Fund

The Balloons Over Rockbridge Board of Directors has set up the Mary Carol Moore Scholarship Fund at Parry McCluer High School in Buena Vista VA. Mary Carol was an active member of our Board of Directors until her death in January of 2021. She also was involved with many other local charities throughout the area. Mary Carol taught and coached for most of her career in the Buena Vista City Public School System. The scholarship will go to a student who is pursuing a career in the education field.and who is an active community volunteer.

 

 

Funds raised from the 2021 Balloons Over Rockbridge Hot Air Balloon Festival were donatedto the following local non-profits.

Cats Unlimited is a non-profit, all volunteer organization dedicated to the non-lethal control of cats in Rockbridge County and the cities of Buena Vista and Lexington.  Our primary mission is to offer a low cost spay and neuter program to our citizens, which will in turn improve the lives of cats in our community.

 

Our local spay/neuter program is in partnership with Animal Clinic or Rockbridge, Edgewater Animal Hospital, Lexington Animal Hospital, and The Well Pet Group.  We also offer a low cost spay/neuter van in partnership with Angels of Assisi of Roanoke.

 

We are proud to announce that in 2019 we helped in the spay/neuter of 732 cats in our community and since we began the programs we have s/n over 5300 cats!

 

In order to finance these programs we have two main fundraisers each year.  Our Christmas Bazaar which occurs in the beginning of Dec. and our "Catapalooza Yard Sale which will be held June 12 & 13 of this year at the Sam Houston Ruritan Auction Barn on Valley Pike Road, Lexington.  

 

You may contact us at:

540-458-2287, P.O. Box 484, Lexington, VA 24450,

Help@catsunlimited.org,

www.catunlimited.org

Or visit us on Facebook.  

Rockbridge Animal Alliance (RAA) is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) organization to help the animals in Rockbridge County, Lexington, and Buena Vista through a variety of projects: low-cost spay/neuter for dogs, pet food pantry, outdoor shelters, and veterinary assistance.  Since 2014, we have subsidized the cost of spay/neuter for over 300 dogs and have distributed over 20 tons of supplemental pet food to people having financial difficulty. We are excited to work alongside other local nonprofit groups in our community that are as committed as we are to improving the quality of life for animals in our community and decreasing the numbers of animals that end up at the shelter. 

Web site: http://rockbridgeanimalalliance.org/

Email: info@rockbridgeanimalalliance.org

Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RockbridgeAnimalAlliance/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockbridgeanimals/

Street Ransom was founded as an extension of Straight Street Roanoke Valley to bring awareness to sex trafficking and to provide services for survivors.  After learning about the prevalence of this issue and the need for survivor care, Straight Street was moved to action. In 2014, Straight Street formed Street Ransom to meet the need in our community.

 To empower the lives of those affected by sexual exploitation through awareness and aftercare.

Awareness

Street Ransom offers professional trainings and prevention education to identify and combat exploitation through awareness.

Aftercare

There is a major lack of resources for victims of human trafficking in our state and nation. To meet the need in our area, we provide holistic, trauma-informed care that survivors deserve.

Professional Training

Through professional trainings we educate our community on sex trafficking. Our goal is to equip individuals to identify and respond appropriately to sex trafficking.

Prevention Education

Through prevention education, we reach vulnerable youth in schools, child welfare organizations, juvenile justice agencies, and other youth service providers. The curriculum we facilitate is designed to teach youth how to protect themselves against exploitation through information, critical thinking, and skill development.

Wraparound Services

We partner with local, state, and federal agencies to meet survivors’ critical needs. We offer wraparound services at no-cost to survivors of sex trafficking, including food, clothing, transportation, counseling, casework, and legal aid.

Residential Program

Street Ransom’s residential program in the greater Roanoke Valley area will be Virginia’s only residential program for juvenile survivors of sex trafficking. Our program will provide a safe space and comprehensive trauma-informed care for girls ages 11-17 years old.

 

https://streetransom.com/

Address: P.O. Box 11411
Roanoke, VA 24022-1411

Phone: 540-397-2123

Email: info@streetransom.com

 

Funds from our

2019 Balloons Over Rockbridge festival

went to

Project Horizon's Lisa's House and For the Children Child Advocacy Center, True Mission:Virginia/Street Ransom and

Team RWB

Project Horizon

Since 1982, Project Horizon has served victims of dating, domestic, and sexual violence. What began as the vision of a small group of women around a kitchen table has grown into a comprehensive, accredited program serving the people of the Rockbridge community. From working directly with survivors and the victims to providing education and violence prevention programs, Project Horizon is a recognized leader in efforts locally and statewide to address the pervasive problem of domestic and sexual violence.

 

http://www.projecthorizon.org

 

Street Ransom

TrueMission: Virginia is committed to provide longterm residential aftercare to minors rescued from trafficking here in the east coast region of the US.

 

Street Ransom was founded as a ministry of Straight Street Roanoke Valley in 2014. Our mission is to empower the lives of those affected by sexual exploitation through awareness and aftercare.

 

https://streetransom.com/

 

 

Team Red White and Blue

Our chapters deliver local, consistent, and inclusive opportunities for veterans to connect through physical and social activity. They host regular fitness activities, social gatherings and community service events, and facilitate building strong local connections with members and organizations within the community. 

 

https://www.teamrwb.org/chapter/team-rwb-lexington-va/

The 2018 festival beneficiary was Hoofbeats Therapeutic Riding Center located at the Virginia Horse Center. Check out their great program for individuals of all ages with all types of challenges! 

 http://hoof-beats.com/

The 2017 Balloons Over Rockbridge Festival was held July 3-5, 2017 and funds raised benefited the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life of Rockbridge.

If you enjoyed our festival please consider making a donation to help the fun continue while supporting our local charities.

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