Messages of hope are being sent through the sky as Southwest Louisiana continues to heal after Hurricanes Laura and Delta.
Weather balloons are used by the National Weather Service to collect data that goes into a forecast. A Lake Charles meteorologist is also using it to bring some encouragement and share inspiration in the aftermath of the storms.
She doesn't typically get a response, but Chanelle Stigger is happy to bring positivity to a community that has lost so much.
A device called a radiosonde is always attached to the balloon to monitor weather conditions as the balloon collects weather data.
Stigger decided to add something else by doing her part to help raise spirits.
“Something that would be joyful, something that would be a message of positivity, and something that would just make my day. I wanted other people to have their days made by radiosondes if they found them,” said Stigger.
She writes thoughtful messages on each one before releasing it into the sky in hopes that someone will find it, sending messages of hope in a community that's still devastated by the storms.
"You're used to seeing pictures and videos from other places like this. I've never seen this in real life. There's still damage and debris pretty much everywhere you go. It's kind of crazy how it's even eight weeks later and it's still a part of our lives,” Stigger added.
Which is why Stigger is making it a priority to make everyone weather aware, while inflating hope within the community.
"My last radiosonde before Delta made landfall, I did something like, 'Play it safe, evacuate,' and I took a video of that going off. It makes me feel better. It makes me feel like maybe I'll just be able to brighten someone's day,” said Stigger.
Stigger says she will continue to spread these positive messages throughout Lake Charles.
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