With a smile on her face, Jodi Bunton tied ribbon after ribbon to balloon after balloon, shaping colorful table centerpieces for “Big Night Out,” a highly anticipated event for people with special needs hosted by Mount Pleasant Christian Church.
Bunton, owner of The Balloon Lady, has spent the past 12 years creating intricate balloon designs for clients. Once the centerpieces were complete, she turned her attention to cloud busters, large, room-filling balloons that reflect light and float from the ceiling, which she inflates using a leaf blower.
“Those are my favorite,” said Heidi Wright, the church’s missions and outreach director. “The work she does is exceptional. We both share our faith and believe in serving the special needs community.”
Wright said Bunton, who has decorated for the event for more than a decade, raises the bar each year.
“She puts her heart and soul into it,” Wright said.
Bunton’s passion for balloon design began at church when her pastor encouraged the congregation to get creative for an event. She constructed a flower wall made entirely of balloons, enlisting her children to help tie each one. That display led to more requests, first for her pastor’s birthday, then for a graduation celebration.
Not long after, a balloon company in Lafayette brought her on for additional help, where she worked for two years. In late 2017, she launched her own business, The Balloon Lady.
For a time, Bunton balanced a full-time job while growing her balloon business until her sister encouraged her to take the leap.
“I was still working a job and doing balloons at the same time,” Bunton said. “I’ve only been full time eight years.”
Today, Bunton works out of her Greenfield home with three rooms dedicated to her balloon creations.
Her client list includes the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever, the Indianapolis Colts, Coca-Cola, AES and more.
A former foster care child, Bunton also gives back by donating her time and designs to organizations such as Dress for Success and Big Brothers Big Sisters, groups she says supported her during some of her lowest moments.
“The fact that where I’ve come from, the struggles and tragedies I’ve faced, and that I’ve been able to build a successful life out of balloons is something I never would have dreamed of,” Bunton said. “Giving back is my number one thing.”
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: The Balloon Lady turns passion into purpose, building a business from air and imagination
Reporting by Mykal McEldowney, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Mykal McEldowney, Indianapolis Star | USA TODAY Network
