For Sally Durkin, it would have been an honor just to be nominated for the &uot;Oscar&uot; of balloon races.

So when organizers of the Great Mississippi River Balloon Race announced Friday night that longtime volunteer Durkin had won the Spirit of David Steckler Award, she was moved to tears, as any Oscar winner would be &045;&045; and just as gracious.

&uot;You have no idea how many people it takes to put this on,&uot; a surprised Durkin told the crowd at the balloon glow. &uot;This is a tremendous award. It’s like an Oscar.&uot;

The Steckler Award, named for the late David Steckler, goes to a balloon race volunteer who embodies the spirit of Dr. Steckler, who often went above and beyond to help out with the event.

&uot;I never thought I was going to be the recipient,&uot; Durkin said as she continued to receive congratulations from friends and fellow volunteers.

In fact, Durkin recalls being told the first year the Steckler Award was given that she had been considered.

&uot;That was enough for me,&uot; she said.

This is Durkin’s ninth official year with the balloon race committee, although she’s been working on balloon crews since the year the race began, with only about 10 balloons.

She works mainly with the ground crews, a team of people with whom Durkin said she shared the Steckler Award.

&uot;Most of all I want to thank the people who work under me, the ground crew. I hope you’ll keep coming back year after year,&uot; she said.

For Durkin, this may be her last year with the committee. Next year she will either be out of town working or flying as a competitive balloon pilot herself &045;&045; &uot;if they’ll let me,&uot; she said.

They might not want to let her get away so fast. In announcing the award, fellow volunteer Peter Burns pointed out the long hours Durkin spends preparing for and working at the event.

&uot;She works really, really hard,&uot; he said. &uot;I don’t think she sleeps at all. Without the volunteers, this would never happen.&uot;

From before sunrise Friday to the sunset balloon glow, Durkin was working &045;&045; she led the early morning pilot briefing, helped at schools where balloons were inflated for the students, and directed everyone from the pilots to the national anthem soloist at the balloon glow.

For Durkin, the work is worth it. She pointed to the looks on spectators’ faces at the balloon glow and recalled the excitement of the children &045;&045; some of whom might never see a balloon otherwise &045;&045; at the schools that afternoon, when they screamed as if at a rock concert to see a tethered balloon inflated in the air.

&uot;The work is hard but the benefits are spectacular,&uot; Durkin said. &uot;It’s amazing to see the joy on people’s faces.