Meet Maria Galura
It was a small action that allowed me to see the happiness I could bring to others.
Bringing happiness to others, brings happiness to us.
As a child growing up in the Philippines my family would attend mass every Sunday and afterwards I looked forward to seeing the vendors outside selling balloons. Seeing the balloons made me happy and that memory is what has inspired me to create remarkable experiences for others — because I believe everyone deserves to feel special.
Engineering was my chosen area of study and where I started my career, but my drive towards entrepreneurship started at a young age. I sold candies in grade school, hamburgers in high school, and fundraised in university, selling Valentine's Day flowers and balloons. I started Calgary Party 50 (CP50), in 2015 as a side business because I had left over party supplies from one of my daughter's birthday parties.
It was a small action that allowed me to see the happiness I could bring to others.
My passion is to provide moments that delight and memories to cherish to all ages, from a 5-year-old to an 85-year-old. I started with birthday bins of supplies, then moved onto balloon art installations and in 2017 had the opportunity to do large scale air-filled balloon installation for Beakerhead, a Calgary run art, science and engineering exhibition. Beakerhead expanded my dreams and placed me in the 'artist' category. This opportunity allowed me to see the broader impact of my work as it became accessible to everyone from all walks of life.
Because I believe that my work should be accessible to all, I humbly support The Happy Birthday Project providing balloons and supplies to children in shelters.