By Gerri Miller, EAN Staff Writer

It wasn’t cloudy with a chance of meatballs Saturday, but it was sunny with a chance of ping pong balls.

Around 6,000 pink ping pong balls were released by helicopter on the Wetumpka Sports Complex Saturday, but they didn’t stay there for long. Participants in Elmore County Hospital’s first Breast Cancer Scramble had the two fields where the balls were dropped cleaned up in just a few minutes.

The Scramble was a benefit for the Joy to Life Foundation. Fifteens of the balls dropped were specially marked with a stamp from Ivy Creek Healthcare that participants could trade in for prizes from event sponsors. It cost $5 for advance ticket or $10 at the gate and hundreds of people attended the event.

Heidi Smith, director of marketing for Ivy Creek Healthcare, said each of the prizes had a minimum value of $500. Items were on display such as a big screen TV, a kayak, a big check for $500 cash, a Weber Grill, a dryer and many more.

Rebecca Walker said she drove all the way from Demopolis to support Smith, a good friend. Smith’s father, Jim Covington from Prattville, was there to support her as well.

Tallassee resident Cindy Brown found out about the Scramble because it was advertised at her workplace, The Must-Stop Café, and she wanted to support the cause.

Five food trucks – Bertolone’s Italian, Potz and Panz Gourmet, Los Maya’s Mexican, Frios Gourmet Pops and Aw Shuck Roasted Corn – set up for the event and will donate a portion of their sales to the Joy to Life Foundation. Big Mo, the mascot for the Montgomery Biscuits, was there taking photos with the crowd and he was joined by two chipmunks.

Sponsors for the event included First Community Bank, Gray’s Tires & Service, Apex Gas & Appliance, Zap Pest Control, Southern Property Management, Tallassee Automotive, Collier Ford, First Franklin Financial, Brewbaker Motors, Montgomery Subaru, Forbes Tate, Walmart Tallassee, and Eclectic Family Care LLC. SEE MORE PHOTOS BELOW