With summer celebrations coming up, area towns are scurrying to raise money for fireworks displays.
Capt. Stephen Smith of the Walpole Fire Department, chairman of that town’s annual Night Before the Fourth celebration, said this week the anonymous Sons of Liberty group had only raised $4,000 of the $25,000 needed for a fireworks show. Whether or not the Sons of Liberty gets the rest of the money, the show will go on, Smith said. The fire department has already committed to funding it.
In Norwood, after some officials wondered if it was possible this year, the Recreation Department Supervisor said last week the town would be able to raise $15,000 for a fireworks display on Norwood Day, Sept. 13, thanks to the help of a local businessman.
Many people enjoy having their spirits raised by fireworks. They’re as iconic on Independence Day as Christmas Trees on Christmas. But, $20,000 is a lot to spend on such a brief show. With the state of the economy, perhaps it’s unwise to spend so much on something so fleeting.
In Walpole and Norwood, event organizers are looking for donations. If you’re looking to give back to your community, though, it would be better to fund something with more of a lasting impact. There are worthy charities in both towns that are hurting for money as much, if not more, as the fireworks committees.
It is, after all, not the exploding lights that make summer celebrations memorable; it’s the time spent together with family, friends, and neighbors. If you really need to see fireworks this Independence Day, Boston, and one of the largest fireworks displays in the country, is only a short ride away.
