Houston , TX - May 1, 2003 - Schepps Dairy has joined the 2003 RE/MAX® Ballunar Liftoff Festival as Presenting Sponsor.  The 2003 RE/MAX® Ballunar Liftoff Festival, tracing the progress of human flight from its beginning to present day, is set to launch on the weekend of August 22-24 at the Johnson Space Center/NASA.   The annual event features approximately 100 visually spectacular hot air balloons, along with powered flight vehicles of every description, in a non-profit gathering that entertains and delights families while encouraging interest in aviation and space among young people through the study of mathematics and the sciences.

Schepps Dairy will be bringing their special shape hot air balloon “Airabelle the Cow” to Houston for the first time.  Fully fueled and inflated, she weighs in at a whopping 1,330 spectacular pounds!  She is 80 ft. tall, 120 ft. long and takes a minimum crew of 16 people.  Airabelle made her Texas debut in 2002.  “Schepps Dairy has a long history of community involvement, and commitment to service.  We are proud to bring Airabelle to our community” said Tim Hawk, General Manager, Schepps Dairy, Houston.  Schepps operates a state-of-the art facility near downtown Houston , and its 250+ employees have built a reputation for quality products and outstanding customer service

The RE/MAX network in Texas comprises 4270 members affiliated with 187 offices across the state, 51 in the Houston area.  RE/MAX and Ballunar Liftoff Festival, Inc. are proud to add Schepps, “The Dairy Best”, to its network of sponsors.  Celebrating the timeless values of family and home, while nurturing our children’s natural inquisitiveness for exploration and ch allen ge, Schepps Dairy is honored in joining the RE/MAX® Ballunar Liftoff Festival in presenting Houston ’s most exciting outdoor educational fair.

The RE/MAX® Ballunar Liftoff Festival is at Johnson Space Center on NASA Road I, two miles east of I-45 at the southern edge of Houston , next to Clear Lake .  For more information, visit www.ballunarfestival.com.  For more information on Schepps Dairy and Airabelle, visit www.scheppsdairy.com.

Ballunar Liftoff Festival, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Its mission is to help the public learn about aviation and space exploration, and to sponsor and fund educational activities that encourage young people to learn about aviation and space and to study mathematics and the sciences.