By Jennifer Stultz
Tri-County Tribune Editor
jstultz@cherryroad.com
Monica Baker Swarts took time out of a jammed accounting business schedule to bring a unique event to Pratt last week. Her hobby of working on a hot air balloon crew has led her on some interesting and unique adventures and she shared her passion for hot air ballooning with her home community by inviting a Kansas balloon owner to stop in for a visit last Sunday.
After working for Kahmeyer Accounting for 10 years, Baker Swarts took over that business in October 2014 and it became Baker Professional Accounting Services, relocating to 920 E 1st Street in Pratt. While this full-time career takes a lot of time, Baker Swarts who lives on a small farm near Pratt with her husband, David Swarts and four sons, makes time for fun.
“My husband is originally from South Africa so traveling and showing this amazing country we live in is a passion of mine,” Baker Swarts said. “I have always loved exploring the outdoors and the wonders of this world through repelling, canoeing, and paragliding, but chasing hot air balloons, that has become my passion.”
Baker Swarts said working as a crew member for hot air balloon owners is something like being a storm or tornado chaser.
“We get a schedule set, show up, unload all the gear, get them up in the air, and then they are off,” she said. “Then it is up to the crew to pack it all up again and then the chase is on. We have to find them and help them land. It can get pretty thrilling.”
Baker Swarts is level 2 certified for hot air balloon crewmanship with a federation that regulates such activity. She works for three or four private hot air balloon operators and each assigned event requires a specific training protocol. While she works active balloon crew patrols in Oklahoma and Missouri each year, bringing more of this activity to Kansas is always on her heart.
“It has always been a passion of mine to share a piece of this life with my community here in Pratt,” she said. “This was a dream come true this year to have Jeremy King from Wichita stop in with his hot air balloon and spend time with people telling them about his hobby.”
It just so happens that Baker Swarts also has some good Santa Claus connections at her accounting business, so combining a hot air balloon event with a Santa meet-and-greet option just seemed to fall into place beautifully.
Added into the equation was near-perfect weather on Sunday, December 15 in Pratt.
“We had to delay just a bit to let the wind shift and die down,” Baker Swarts said. “But it was a wonderful time seeing all the children and people who turned out to see the hot air balloon inflate and to visit with Jeremy and Santa Claus.”
King’s hot air balloon, named Let It Glow, caught the evening sun rays in a brightly colored patchwork of parachute silk last Sunday evening at the Bill Keller Sports Complex track and field grounds. Firey puffs of raw propane heated the air inside the balloon, and it rose from the ground to the delight of onlookers. Santa climbed into the basket under the balloon and created photographic moments with many who had never seen such a sight before. King answered questions and shared information about his hot air balloon, including that it was 60 ft. tall and weighed 648 lbs.
“We love seeing the joy and excitement on the crowd’s faces as they get to experience these gentle giants,” King said.
Baker Swarts said she hopes to bring a similar event to Pratt in the future, one with more balloons and perhaps an option to ride. But it’s back to work for tax season first for several months at Baker Professional Accounting Services.
