Flurry of fireworks comes with a cost

Cecilia Lamb says they are beautiful.

They light up the night sky above Garnett’s North Lake Park every Fourth of July and dazzle those below.

People like the fireworks, they really do, Lamb, administrative assistant at the Garnett Area Chamber of Commerce, said.

But Garnett’s annual fireworks display — like other area Fourth of July festivities — may be in jeopardy because of the struggling economy. So far, so good for this year’s celebrations, but without proper funding and donations, next year’s celebration might be less of a bang.

In the hole

“If we really go in the hole, there’s a good chance we would not have them next year,” she said. “We’re trying to avoid that.”

Lamb said the annual fireworks display — which costs about $4,000 — is mostly paid for from donations, but what isn’t accounted for comes out of the chamber’s pocket.

“We’ve gone in the hole about every year,” Lamb said. “It’s not a big fundraiser for the chamber.”

Before the Fourth of July, Lamb said area businesses often make donations to the display, but most of the funding — 70 to 80 percent — comes from individual donations made at the event on the Fourth of July.

“We appreciate everyone’s donation,” Lamb said. “We’ll take it, no matter how small.”

Wating it out

Furst, Ottawa Jaycees Fourth of July fireworks display chairman, said he’s not sure what the next year will bring for the organization financially.

“Financially, things could turn better or worse,” he said. “I mean, I’m in the same boat as everyone else is in. I’m just trying to figure it out.”

Furst said the Jaycees’ annual display costs about $5,000, which is up about 15 percent from last year.

“We are going to be pretty close to what we did last year as far as the amount we spend,” Rex Carswell, with the organization, said. “Some of the prices had gone up.”

Carswell said the City of Ottawa pays for the majority of the annual display, with about a third of the funding coming from local donations.

“We did lose a few donors this year,” Furst said. “We picked up a few new ones, too.”

Furst said he hopes the Jaycees and the City of Ottawa will be able to fund the display next year, but that’s still up in the air.

“I don’t think people realize how much it costs,” Furst said. “The thing about other cities is that they tend to pay for it all.”

A community event

So says Sherry Harris, president of the Pomona Merchants Association.

“Everyone is busy with their lives, and they don’t get the chance to visit with their neighbors anymore,” Harris said. “It will be a fun evening.”

Harris said the city’s display — which costs the Pomona Merchants Association about $2,000 — is funded through member dues and various events that the organization hosts during the year.

“People have been very supportive of the association and the events that we host,” Harris said. “Of course they are being more conservative with funds, but they are making up for it with hard work and participation.”

Funding and donations

“It was a little more difficult,” Furst said about finding donors. “But that’s kind of understandable — this year anyway.”

Lamb said donations in Garnett are down this year as well. That decrease in donations — coupled with the rising cost of fireworks — is making it more challenging for the Garnett Area Chamber of Commerce to pay for the display.

“It’s pretty much the rising cost of everything,” Lamb said.

Lamb is hoping to combat the funding problem by encouraging people to come to the North Lake Park and donate.

“They might be a little bit tighter,” she said. “If they all came in and gave a little bit, we wouldn’t be in the hole.”

Courtney Servaes can be e-mailed at cservaes@ottawaherald.com.