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NATIONAL Red Balloon Day was everything key organiser Jody Hardiman thought it would be and much more.
The campaign, which was started late last year as a Facebook event, reached people across Australia.
The committee sold about 30,000 red balloons and raised more than $15,000 to be donated to fire services in each state.
About $1000 was made in donations.
Ms Hardiman said she was thrilled with the way the campaign had turned out and described it as surreal.
"It has been amazing," she said.
"I know it's big but I don't think it has sunk in the potential of where it will go.
"It's hard to believe - the support has been fantastic."
Volunteer firefighter Chris Corr said he saw a number of balloons dotted around the city on Friday and said he felt a sense of pride.
"I think it is a fantastic initiative from community members to thank the firefighters," he said.
"It has been great and it is amazing to think that all of this has happened in a period of five weeks.
"It's just phenomenal."
Mr Corr said he had been a firefighter for about 22 years and enjoyed giving back to the community.
"(Being a firefighter) is a great way you can (give back to the community)," he said.
"It involves teamwork and is an important service that somebody has to provide.
"I enjoy doing it."
CFA community education co-ordinator Paul Tangey said the organisation would like to thanks all firefighters for their support and efforts during the fire season.
He said this also included people who performed support roles such as air crews, staff at the incident control centre, people who co-ordinate the logistics, community education workers and many more.
Mr Tangey said the organisation would also like to thank the employers of CFA staff who allow their staff to take time off work.
He said the organisation would also like to thank fire services around the country who offer assistance in Victoria and the community for their efforts.
![RECOGNITION: Jody Hardiman and her grandson Oakley O'Brien-Smith. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN
RECOGNITION: Jody Hardiman and her grandson Oakley O'Brien-Smith. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/storypad-7nnLmHy69MYhH8238i9C28/fccca523-5493-42ee-8d01-8da62bf835ef.JPG/r0_275_4576_3183_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![Greg Stevens. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN
Greg Stevens. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/storypad-7nnLmHy69MYhH8238i9C28/b2c78e70-4224-48ec-9a05-7a2029e03124.JPG/r0_0_4540_3208_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![Linda Chinn and Alex Tsatsimakis, 3 with Chris Corr. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN
Linda Chinn and Alex Tsatsimakis, 3 with Chris Corr. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/storypad-7nnLmHy69MYhH8238i9C28/ef790b14-7b69-4264-82bc-b4cfb42b483e.JPG/r0_0_4416_3199_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![Bendigo Lions Club volunteers Graham Macdonald, Steve McHardy, Maxene McHardy, Trevor Squires and Alan Cowling with Mayor Barry Lyons. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN
Bendigo Lions Club volunteers Graham Macdonald, Steve McHardy, Maxene McHardy, Trevor Squires and Alan Cowling with Mayor Barry Lyons. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/storypad-7nnLmHy69MYhH8238i9C28/c2d37b7d-d8e2-4bf3-bb7a-c2b2ad7051d4.JPG/r0_0_4441_2990_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![Luke Fitzgibbon, Paul Davis, Jason Pearce, Paul Bellinger, Tyson Taylor, Tim McNeilly, Alistair Baird, Samual Harrsion, Chris Corr and Captain Koala. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN
Luke Fitzgibbon, Paul Davis, Jason Pearce, Paul Bellinger, Tyson Taylor, Tim McNeilly, Alistair Baird, Samual Harrsion, Chris Corr and Captain Koala. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/storypad-7nnLmHy69MYhH8238i9C28/503f630e-76cc-4315-b36e-7f33d98706f6.JPG/r0_0_4788_3266_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![Matt Probert and Jess King. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN Matt Probert and Jess King. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/storypad-7nnLmHy69MYhH8238i9C28/abe3da47-ce57-4a05-ba0b-5d36306d5b8a.JPG/r0_0_4532_3152_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![Heathcote brigade members Laraine Leask and Barry Faid. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN
Heathcote brigade members Laraine Leask and Barry Faid. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/storypad-7nnLmHy69MYhH8238i9C28/eda4d647-a558-4930-9ba9-582fa5934c48.JPG/r0_0_4404_3073_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![Jody Hardiman with Captain Koala. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN
Jody Hardiman with Captain Koala. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/storypad-7nnLmHy69MYhH8238i9C28/30878d77-2930-4198-bed9-57f28b73940d.JPG/r0_0_3203_4754_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![Violet Cook, 3 with Captain Koala. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN
Violet Cook, 3 with Captain Koala. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/storypad-7nnLmHy69MYhH8238i9C28/a7c1c1bb-c7fa-4410-935d-771264116585.JPG/r0_0_2910_4666_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![Andrew and Melissa Read with two year old Kaitlyn. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN
Andrew and Melissa Read with two year old Kaitlyn. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/storypad-7nnLmHy69MYhH8238i9C28/1699306d-edc5-4e12-89d4-24e866a373c2.JPG/r0_0_4552_3136_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![Volunteers from the community education group Joan Jones, Barry Faid, Ray Waller, Doreen Raven, Bill Bowery, Ken Deveraux and Ian Shelton. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN
Volunteers from the community education group Joan Jones, Barry Faid, Ray Waller, Doreen Raven, Bill Bowery, Ken Deveraux and Ian Shelton. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/storypad-7nnLmHy69MYhH8238i9C28/369225e7-0fa1-402e-a671-29a515b08fb1.JPG/r0_0_4792_3237_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![Craig Hamilton and Aleasha Gilbert. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN
Craig Hamilton and Aleasha Gilbert. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/storypad-7nnLmHy69MYhH8238i9C28/6ed8a78a-08f8-4353-9c64-acb912ace971.JPG/r0_0_4328_3039_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![Tyson Floreani, 2, Eddie Suhr, 2, and Abigail Epworth, 3. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN
Tyson Floreani, 2, Eddie Suhr, 2, and Abigail Epworth, 3. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/storypad-7nnLmHy69MYhH8238i9C28/4d12aa13-1353-4fdf-8216-00d09b81b8bd.JPG/r0_261_4704_2906_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![Jody Hardiman with her two year old grandson Oakley O'Brien-Smith. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN
Jody Hardiman with her two year old grandson Oakley O'Brien-Smith. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/storypad-7nnLmHy69MYhH8238i9C28/b668d090-9f10-45e2-b349-0dcd5e150633.JPG/r0_0_4596_3156_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![National Red Ballon Day at the Civic Gardens. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN National Red Ballon Day at the Civic Gardens. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/storypad-7nnLmHy69MYhH8238i9C28/ecbd0171-19a3-4ed0-beea-b83872aeede4.JPG/r0_0_4928_3285_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![National Red Ballon Day at the Civic Gardens. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN
National Red Ballon Day at the Civic Gardens. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/storypad-7nnLmHy69MYhH8238i9C28/49a9d3a5-98fe-4df7-b5c8-b023954ba82c.JPG/r0_0_4928_3285_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![National Red Ballon Day at the Civic Gardens. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN
National Red Ballon Day at the Civic Gardens. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/storypad-7nnLmHy69MYhH8238i9C28/70050d4b-ec34-4a95-aef3-1e368c3e9933.JPG/r0_0_4420_3212_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![Jody Hardiman. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN Jody Hardiman. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/storypad-7nnLmHy69MYhH8238i9C28/69b47fe3-cf48-44d9-ae8a-4caea6b0c291.JPG/r0_0_4336_2939_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)