Paper airplanes of various sizes and shapes joined the competition during Sunday's annual Great Community Paper Airplane Contest at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Marietta.
Seven-year-old Lexi Brown of Marietta tossed her sleek paper plane from the church balcony out over the sanctuary where the aircraft sailed to victory in the longest-flight contest.
"She watched me make one, then copied the design to make her own plane," said Lexi's dad, Chris Brown.
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SAM SHAWVER The Marietta Times
Lexi Brown, 7, of Marietta gets ready to toss her paper airplane from the balcony during the annual Great Community Paper Airplane Contest at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Marietta Sunday.
Bailey Nesselroad, 11, from Beverly, also designed a winning plane.
"I've been working on it for about a week," he said, noting this was his first official paper airplane contest.
The event has become a tradition at the church for more than 25 years, according to organizer Todd Frasher of Devola.
Fact Box
About the paper airplane contest
The Great Community Paper Airplane Contest has been a regional tradition for more than 25 years at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Marietta.
Community members, young and old alike, test their paper plane design skills in a contest that includes tossing the planes from the church balcony. Prizes are awarded for the best flights.
The entry fees for the contest were cans of food to be donated to the local community food pantry.
"It's just a great tradition that brings a lot of kids together to have a good time," he said. "It's always open to the community, and everyone goes home with a prize."
The entrance fee was donation of a can of food, and 32 people, young and old alike, took part in this year's event.
"All proceeds and donations go to the local community food pantry," Frasher said.
Pastor Kat Hawbaker said the event brings people together to have some fun and benefit a good cause.
"We really appreciate so many people coming out to participate every year," she said. "It's a good time that everyone can come and enjoy in this beautiful historic church."
The Unitarian Society in Marietta was founded in February 1855 by Nahum Ward who funded construction of the city's First Unitarian Universalist Church that was completed in 1857. The facility cost $25,000 to build, and Ward later sold it to the congregation for $1.
The church continues to house services from its original location at 232 Third St. in Marietta.
