Mell Hamlyn stands last week in the balloon festival’s souvenir booth, which is stored in Auburn when it is not at the festival. “There is still work to be done, like packing up what’s in here for next year and follow-up meetings to talk about this year’s festival and what is in store for next year.” Hamlyn said. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Mell Hamlyn was born and raised in Lewiston before hopping across the Androscoggin River to Auburn, where she’s lived since her 20s. She has been involved with the Great Falls Balloon Festival since its first launches in 1992, serving on its board of directors from 2005 to 2018.

Hamlyn said she was drawn to the festival simply for the joy it brings to the community and help it brings to local nonprofits.

Life outside of festival planning and organizing includes a decades-long job at Auburn-based Connectivity Point as its director of finance and human resources. Beyond work life, the 63-year-old enjoys spending time with family and friends and indulging in her collection of Volkswagen automobiles, which include a 1949 Beetle, 2008 Golf R32, a camper van, 1967 classic bus, a Thing and a couple trucks.

“They are a lot of fun!” Hamlyn says. “I am driving one or the other most days, spring to fall, and then they all go away for a long winter’s nap.”

How did you get involved with the balloon festival? My involvement with the Great Falls Balloon Festival began with its inception. I initially volunteered at a food vendor booth, selling apple pie slices and coffee to benefit the L/A Jaycee Women. In 1998, I joined the St. Dom’s Booster Club, where I helped organize the pancake breakfast and chicken and ribs dinner under the big tent, especially while my children attended St. Dom’s. After they graduated, I was invited to join the food committee and shortly thereafter, the festival board. I joined the board in the fall of 2005 and was elected as treasurer during my first meeting, following the resignation of the previous treasurer, thanks to my accounting background.

When did you leave the board? Did you miss being a part of the festival’s organization? I remained on the board until after the 2018 festival, after which I decided to take a break to enjoy Maine’s short summers. In my spare time, I enjoy traveling, spending time with family and friends, and indulging in my passion for classic Volkswagens.

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However, I continued to volunteer by booking hot air balloon rides for the festival. Over the years, I have enjoyed every role I’ve had in the festival. I didn’t realize how much I missed the organizational duties until I returned to them.

Mell Hamlyn, left talks with Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline at the balloon festival on Aug. 17 during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival at Great Falls Plaza in Lewiston. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

What is the hardest part of organizing such a festival? What is the most rewarding? The 2024 festival was particularly challenging, with only a few months to organize and spread the word following an earlier announcement of the event’s cancellation. Convincing the community that the festival was still happening required significant effort, but the dedication of everyone involved was key to its success.

The hardest part is typically raising the needed funds to put on the festival — however, this year (former Auburn and Lewiston) mayors (Jason) Levesque and (Mark) Cayer led that charge and did a phenomenal job!

The most rewarding is watching the nonprofit vendors raising much-needed funds by selling food or manning a parking lot. I also enjoy walking the fields and seeing the people enjoying themselves.

I take great pride in seeing nonprofit organizations use the festival as a platform for fundraising, whether through selling food or managing parking lots. Some organizations have been participating for 30 years, with the festival becoming their primary fundraiser, often fulfilling their annual budget needs.

I enjoy walking the field and witnessing the joy it brings to the community. I spoke with one family of 22 members who gather every year on Friday evening at the festival, meeting at the same spot in front of the souvenir booth. For some of them, it’s the only time they see each other each year, and they expressed their gratitude for the festival’s continuation.

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What were this year’s successes? The success of this year’s festival was due to the collective effort of many. Fundraising efforts were led phenomenally by mayors Levesque and Cayer. Lewiston Public Works and Parks and Recreation teams set up, broke down, and cleaned up the field, making the process look effortless. Direction and administrative support from both Lewiston and Auburn was irreplaceable. The planning required to bring the festival to life is immense, and every role is crucial, and the involvement of volunteers is vital to the festival’s success. It truly takes a village to pull off an event of this size, and our communities came together wonderfully this year. It is truly exciting to see Simard Payne Memorial Park transform into the festival grounds each year and the pilots, both visiting and local, were thrilled that the festival went on this year. They love flying in Maine, enjoying the beautiful scenery and the warm reception from the community.

Will you continue organizing future balloon festivals? Why do you like the responsibility so much? I look forward to being involved in the future planning of the balloon festival. Each year, I’m asked why I do it. While it requires a significant time commitment and can be challenging, the satisfaction of seeing our community come together and the joy it brings to people makes it all worthwhile. Helping to organize an event of this magnitude and witnessing the smiles of children as balloons light up the sky, or seeing the impact of the fundraising efforts, is incredibly rewarding.

When you’re not festival organizing or driving your VWs, what do you do for your day job? How did you get your start? My career in the accounting and tax field began after graduating from college in the 1980s. In 2020, I embarked on an academic journey to further my education, pursuing a master’s degree in accounting and taxation. This journey has been particularly meaningful as I’ve undertaken it alongside my daughter, Morgan Parsons, and we are set to graduate together this fall. I also have a son, Nathan Hamlyn, who lives in Auburn.

Professionally, I serve as the director of Finance and Human Resources for Connectivity Point, a company based in Auburn where I have worked since 2002. The owner, Doug Watt, has always been a strong supporter of community events, particularly those involving employees. This support has been instrumental in allowing me to assist with events like the balloon festival, which often requires meetings during work hours. I am truly grateful for the flexibility and support from my employer, which has made my continued involvement possible.

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