Expectations for the Inter-Residence Hall Association’s water balloon fight were deflated Saturday when gloomy weather botched a Guinness World Record attempt.
Though the sun came out just in time for the event, gloomy weather earlier in the day led to a turnout of 681 people rather than the hoped-for crowd of 5,000, which would have broken a Guinness World Record.
Organizers of the balloon fight hoped to raise $5,000 for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, from which proceeds are donated to advance breast cancer research.
Saturday's water balloon fight and a silent auction at the event raised $2,653.99.
IRHA spent about $3,000 on the event and has been advertising the fight for about five months, said Natalie Hyman, the event director.
“It was very unfortunate that the weather was the way it was, but we raised a lot of money and that was our goal,” Hyman said.
Volunteers filled 50,812 water balloons, falling short of the 140,000 goal, according to Hyman.
Amanda Brown, one of the ballon fight's setup directors, said organizers were filling balloons up until just a few hours before the water balloon fight began.
Other volunteers were up all night Friday setting up plastic sheeting so the balloons could be easily counted and placed on the field.
Kira Forbes, a floor representative from the Towers Area government, said the filled water balloons were packed into large trash bags, unloaded from rented U-Haul trucks and spread neatly onto the plastic sheeting on the field.
Volunteers carried clickers to count the balloons as part of the world record attempt.
“We’ve been assembly-lining it for hours,” said Forbes.
After the setup was completed, the crowd enjoyed the bounce house, music and a silent auction.
At around 3 p.m., people rushed onto the field to started hurling the water balloons at each other.
Half an hour later, all the balloons were popped.
While some wore bathing suits, others walked away wringing out drenched sweaters, jeans and shoes.
On the field, families and students laughed and screamed, and one student used the plastic sheeting as a slide.
Others targeted their friends with balloons.
“My friend went berserk on me,” said UF freshman Jenise Araujo, who participated in the fight. “She ran at me with a balloon in her hand and slammed it on my face.”
“It was all for a good cause, so it’s OK,” Araujo said.
Patrick Wanninkhof shields himself from water balloons at the World's Largest Water Balloon Fight against Breast Cancer at Flavet Field in February 2010.
