DIXON, CA (MPG) - We’ve seen children getting drive-by birthday parties with police cars and officers, and we’ve seen beautiful rock paintings secretly placed about town, but recently, we were treated to a colorful, house-high display of balloons simulating a giant rainbow, complete with a happy-face sun peeking over the edge of its half-sphere.

“I’ve been trying to think of ways to help,” said long-time Dixonite Pam Chesser, a Certified Balloon Artist (CBA) through the international organization, Qualatex, that hosts the only World Balloon Convention annually. She received an invite just recently to participate in the #OneMillionBubbles project with thousands of balloon artists in 71 countries. The purpose: spread a little happiness.

“I thought it was a wonderful idea,” she said.

Chesser had already sewn masks for the nurses at a Woodland hospital where her daughter works, but like a lot of people, she still was struggling with excess time while the Governor’s Stay-at-Home Order is in effect. The Event Decorator and CBA would normally be super busy working on the Dixon High School All Night Party for graduates and booking private parties for seniors in June.

“Organizers are still waiting for the school district to decide if there is going to be a graduation,” she said, adding that they are talking about pulling together a scaled-down version outdoors, which of course, she will help with.

“It felt good to be doing something since my business dropped to zero,” she said. “There is absolutely nothing for parties. It was such a relief to not feel helpless.”  Even the annual world-wide balloon convention was all done online, she added.

After receiving the invite, she immediately got busy taking inventory of what supplies she already had knowing she wanted “something big and bold and something that would give people hope.” She realized with her balloon supplier and helium vendor shut down, she’d have to get even more innovative and use some sort of physical support and rely on balloons she already owned.

“I had a frame and decided on a rainbow—and I think that’s kind of a symbol that’s been popping up in people’s windows through this, and there was Easter too, so there were lots of reasons to choose a rainbow,” she said. It took her two full days to build. Her husband helped carry it all out to their front yard while their dog hid under the bed. The display stayed up for about four days with various people stopping by to take pictures.

“I’m so glad we stumbled upon it,” said Melanie Wright who was out bike riding with her mom and children. Many notes of appreciation were posted on Facebook. The chalkboard sign off to the side read "Be Safe and Be Kind".

 “I didn’t see a lot of reactions because my windows don’t look over the front, but there were more people than I could imagine going by because my son told me it was blowing up on. I’m not sure a lot of people cued into the #onemillionbubbles part, but whatever they got out of it–was great!” she said. “Balloons make people happy.”

“Two people already contacted me for front yard design,” Chesser said. “One is for a graduation and one is for a 20-year-old’s birthday with a Little Shop of Horrors [Broadway] theme with a giant people-eating flower because that’s their daughter’s favorite show. I’m adding some Coronavirus-looking balloons to mark the occasion,” she said. For more information, call PJ Design at (707) 365-6077.