Independence Day Inc., the nonprofit that puts on the Fourth of
July Parade that an estimated 50,000 watched last year, the
fireworks show and its myriad other events, said if it can’t raise
$17,500 by May 31, officials could be forced to cancel the
show.
The city’s most popular event might lose its crown jewel
Independence Day Inc., the nonprofit that puts on the Fourth of July Parade that an estimated 50,000 watched last year, the fireworks show and its myriad other events, said if it can’t raise $17,500 by May 31, officials could be forced to cancel the show.
Again, blame the global economic crisis. The first hint the show – which has been lighting the night sky going back to 1894 – might be in jeopardy came in January, when the Morgan Hill City Council approved budget cuts that left IDI without its $11,000 seed money, nearly 10 percent of its $130,000 budget.
Fireworks show is free and generates very little income for IDI
Mayor Steve Tate said since the economic outlook for the city remains bleak – the city council will be looking at making another $1.5 million in cuts next fiscal year – he didn’t know when the city would be able to donate to IDI again.
The fireworks show, along with the Patriotic Sing, do not generate revenue. The parade and car show, which last year featured about 150 entrants from the region, July 3’s street dance and the 5K Freedom Run, all generate some revenue. Last year’s total income was about $57,000, organizers said. That’s about 37 percent cost recovery. The rest comes from fundraisers and donations, and those are down this year as well.
So it’s up to us whether the annual fireworks show remains a staple
If we want to enjoy the annual tradition – it was canceled last year due to fire concerns from high winds – we need to step up and donate. And it won’t take much.
“This is within our grasp,” volunteer Brigitte Heiser told reporter Natalie Everett. “If everybody sent in a few bucks, we would be fine. It’s not like we need a hundred dollars from everyone.”
What about local businesses matching public donations up to a certain amount? Perhaps the Chamber of Commerce could distribute change buckets at local businesses or a restaurant could designate a night where they’d give a percentage of a diner’s bill to IDI.
So the challenge is there and it’s up to us whether we accept it or not. Are the fireworks worth a few dollars each? The answer here is an emphatic yes.The city’s most popular event might lose its crown jewel
Independence Day Inc., the nonprofit that puts on the Fourth of July Parade that an estimated 50,000 watched last year, the fireworks show and its myriad other events, said if it can’t raise $17,500 by May 31, officials could be forced to cancel the show.
Again, blame the global economic crisis. The first hint the show – which has been lighting the night sky going back to 1894 – might be in jeopardy came in January, when the Morgan Hill City Council approved budget cuts that left IDI without its $11,000 seed money, nearly 10 percent of its $130,000 budget.
Fireworks show is free and generates very little income for IDI
Mayor Steve Tate said since the economic outlook for the city remains bleak – the city council will be looking at making another $1.5 million in cuts next fiscal year – he didn’t know when the city would be able to donate to IDI again.
The fireworks show, along with the Patriotic Sing, do not generate revenue. The parade and car show, which last year featured about 150 entrants from the region, July 3’s street dance and the 5K Freedom Run, all generate some revenue. Last year’s total income was about $57,000, organizers said. That’s about 37 percent cost recovery. The rest comes from fundraisers and donations, and those are down this year as well.
So it’s up to us whether the annual fireworks show remains a staple
If we want to enjoy the annual tradition – it was canceled last year due to fire concerns from high winds – we need to step up and donate. And it won’t take much.
“This is within our grasp,” volunteer Brigitte Heiser told reporter Natalie Everett. “If everybody sent in a few bucks, we would be fine. It’s not like we need a hundred dollars from everyone.”
What about local businesses matching public donations up to a certain amount? Perhaps the Chamber of Commerce could distribute change buckets at local businesses or a restaurant could designate a night where they’d give a percentage of a diner’s bill to IDI.
So the challenge is there and it’s up to us whether we accept it or not. Are the fireworks worth a few dollars each? The answer here is an emphatic yes.
