Donations ensure Wallingford’s July Fourth fireworks

As published in the Record Journal Wednesday May 29, 2013

By Andrew Ragali
Record-Journal staff
aragali@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2224
Twitter:@AndyRagz

WALLINGFORD — For the fourth consecutive year, fundraising has made the annual Fourth of July fireworks celebration possible.

The fireworks show is scheduled for July 6 at 9:15 p.m. Fireworks will be launched from the knoll by Moran Middle School and will be viewable from the grounds of Sheehan High School and Highland Elementary School.

In 2009, the mayor stopped including funds for fireworks show in the town budget. In response, Town Councilors Jason Zandri and Craig Fishbein formed the Wallingford Fireworks Fund, a nonprofit organization, to raise money for the event. Fishbein has since ended his participation with the group, but still advocates for the show. Zandri continues to work with a small group of volunteers that collected the approximately $30,000 that’s needed for the show.

The group began its fundraising effort in March, when Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr. informed Zandri that the fireworks show would again be left out of the budget. Since then, the group has raised $29,548.

Zandri said a minimum of $24,000 is needed for the show. An additional $3,300 will be used for the R-Band, an orchestral group that will play music during the fireworks.

The expected $3,000 surplus will be set aside for next year’s show. Zandri, a Democrat who is running for mayor, said the money won’t be needed if he is elected because he would include funds for the fireworks show in the budget.

Town Council Vice Chairman Vincent Cervoni congratulated Zandri and his fellow fundraisers. “If people feel strongly about something, they will contribute to it,” Cervoni said.

Dickinson, a Republican who has yet to announce whether he will seek his 16th term as mayor, has said that budget issues are to blame for the absence of fireworks funding.

“I don’t dislike fireworks,” Dickinson said. “I think they’re fun, actually.”

Money received from the fireworks fund will be appropriated to various departments, Dickinson said. Costs for the event include $11,576 for the fireworks show, $10,900 for emergency services overtime, $180 for bathrooms, and $400 each for the services of the Public Works Department and the Board of Education.

About $3,500 was raised at a dinner last week. About $5,000 was raised while asking for donations at local businesses, including Dunkin’ Donuts and Stop & Shop. A $15,000 donation came from The Campus at Greenhill, a Wallingford office complex on Route 68 that’s run by Gale Development Services. The Campus at Greenhill also donated $15,000 last year. “They want to be a good community partner,” Zandri said.

Because of the donation, the event will be titled Campus at Greenhill 2013 Wallingford Fireworks Celebration.

Fishbein called the office complex a “great partner in raising money” for the event. The fireworks show “is always an event I’ve supported,” he said, adding that it’s “unfortunate the town doesn’t see fit to fund it.”

Fishbein said about 12,000 people show up for the show every year.

Zandri thanked his father, Geno Zandri, for countless hours of work collecting donations.

TONIGHT - (May 28, 2013) The Fund will be presenting the donation for the 2013 event to Wallingford at the Town Council meeting

Tonight at the regularly scheduled Town Council meeting I will be asking to waive Rule 5 in order to present to the town (on behalf of The Fund) the donation for the 2013 Independence Day celebration which includes all the costs for the event (the fireworks, the town services, overtime for police and fire, etc.) as well as all the costs for the R Band performance which we were also able to save.

The meeting starts at 6:30 and I am expecting to be able to waive Rule 5 fairly early if you wanted to stop by and just see the Town Council vote on accepting the donation.

Thank you again Wallingford for helping us to get it done.

CONGRATULATIONS WALLINGFORD; You’ve saved the 2013 Fireworks and restored the R Band Performance

All the checks are deposited and while there are still a few bills left to pay there’s enough money remaining in the “remainder” bucket to cover everything INCLUDING the R Band performance which the Fund has never been able to do before. The performance in 2012 was made possible by funds remaining in the Park and recreation budget; prior to that the last time they performed was the last time the event was paid for by the town which was 2009.

I had two checks made out today from the bank before they closed at 2PM.

The first one is for the fireworks event itself which covers all the costs for the show and whoever the town contracts with (The Fund does not pick the fireworks vendor – Wallingford does that on its own). These costs include the fireworks themselves and all the town services; The Fund pays for everything:

In addition to that, we were able to keep our costs to a minimum and with that savings and the stretch fundraising we did this weekend off the Dinner Fundraiser take, we were also able to cut a check for an additional $3,300.00 to cover the costs of the R Band and the sound system rental and the costs associated with using the Wallingford Show Mobile.

A lot of things had to come together to make this possible and it all comes back to people willing to get involved and help us; from the volunteers collecting to John and Jane Wallingford coming out to make donations to the buckets and coming to the dinner to support the cause.

It was the businesses who have supported us this year (and some for four years running) by taking ads in the program book and pledging at higher sponsorship levels. (Over the next few weeks I am going post all of the sponsors and donators here on the blog).

It was Gale Development and the Campus at Greenhill making the pledge to be the Naming Convention Sponsor for the second year in a row and coming through with that donation in the nick of time.

It was all these things together; no one thing was going to save the show all by itself but any one thing missing could have prevented it from becoming a reality.

Once again, Wallingford pulls all at once and gets it done.

Congratulations Wallingford; we hope you enjoy your show – scheduled (weather permitting, there is NO RAIN DATE) for Saturday July 6th, 2013 at nightfall (around 9:15PM) shot off from the knoll by Moran Middle School and viewed from the grounds of Sheehan and Highland Schools.

We’ll see you there.

Donations are coming in online via Paypal – we have less than $900.00 to go

As of 10:30AM this morning we are just $900.00 from the goal.

Wayne is out collecting at Stop and Shop and that in combination with whatever comes in the mail today and online might get us over the top

Please consider mailing your tax deductible donation to:

Wallingford Fireworks Fund
c/o Jason Zandri
35 Lincoln Drive EXT
Wallingford, CT 06492

Additionally – you can make your donation to PAYPAL as well.

Collections will be at Stop and Shop and the Landfill only this morning

Well the weather is sticking it to us today; we wanted to collect at all three locations but the volume is going to be too low at the Recycling Center with the rain to make it worthwhile. My father is heading over to the Landfill but if the traffic is too low he’ll be gone by 10AM.

Stop and Shop is going to be questionable; we’ll head over and see if we can set up and stay dry. If that works out we’ll be there from 9AM to 1PM

I am really hoping that between he collections this morning and with the checks that people mail in and the payments coming in via Paypal we can gap the remaining dollars we need to hit our $30,000.00 goal and make it to the stretch point to save the R Band performance the night of the show as well.

As of this morning we are just $1,400.00 from the goal; let’s go Wallingford – let’s get over that line.

Please consider mailing your tax deductible donation to:

Wallingford Fireworks Fund
c/o Jason Zandri
35 Lincoln Drive EXT
Wallingford, CT 06492

Additionally – you can make your donation to PAYPAL as well.

STRETCH GOAL – Let’s restore the R Band too

With the target in site let’s ante it up a little further Wallingford.

As you know, the Wallingford Fireworks Fund has never been able to restore the R Band performance at the show. We’ve never had enough money left over after paying all the other bills. Last year they played because money left in the Parks and Recreation budget was available for this use and a lot of people enjoyed the performance.

Unfortunately, there are no funds left in the Parks and Recreation budget this year for a repeat performance.

Having said that, I am going to see if we can’t make the stretch goal over the weekend to restore them too.

Now hear this Wallingford supporters of the Wallingford Fireworks event – Please consider helping us a little more; get us over the line on the fireworks and let’s stretch for restoring the R Band too.

Saturday May 25th we will be at the Wallingford Landfill and the Recycling center from 8AM to about noon as well as Stop and Shop from 9AM to about 1PM; stop by with your donations.

If you can make it – please consider mailing your tax deductible donation to:

Wallingford Fireworks Fund
c/o Jason Zandri
35 Lincoln Drive EXT
Wallingford, CT 06492

Additionally – you can make your donation to PAYPAL as well at the button at the bottom of this post.

This is Wallingford and we can do anything.

Let’s roll.

Campus At Greenhill Naming Sponsor Donation HITS – we are in striking distance of our 2013 goal

With the Dinner Fundraiser over and the announcement to the 140 people in attendance of the Campus at Greenhill Donation hitting our account this morning, we are now just about $2,500.00 short of our 2013 goal of $30,000.00

Diane will be collecting tomorrow (Friday 5/24) at Dunkin Donuts in Yalesville.

On Saturday the 25th (weather permitting) my father will be at the Landfill and Wayne will be at the Recycling Center from 8AM to about noon. Charlotte will be at Stop and Shop from 9AM to about 1PM.

This weekend is it – we can gap that $2,500.00 with these last collections.

Hope to see you there

7 Days, $15,907.00 to the 2013 goal. TONIGHT is the DINNER FUNDRAISER

We are just 7 days from the 2013 collection deadline. Our 2013 goal was to raise $30,000.00 before the final Friday in May (the date set by the Town Administration for when the funds must be donated for the event).

Right now we are still $15,907.00 short.

TONIGHT Thursday May 23rd is the Dinner Fundraiser.

We will also be collecting over this weekend (weather permitting) at the Landfill, Recycling Center and at Stop and Shop.

Next week is the final week of collections and we’ll be at Dunkin Donuts during the morning rush.

At this point it is highly unlikely we are going to hit our targets and save the event for 2013.

But until 5PM on Friday May 31st we are going to keep at it.

Please come to the Dinner Fundraiser – you’re going to eat well, have fun, and enjoy some really good music.

And you never know, maybe with some goodwill and a few deep pockets, perhaps the show can be saved after all.

See you tonight!

8 Days, $16,207.00 to the 2013 goal. TOMORROW is the DINNER FUNDRAISER

We are just 8 days from the 2013 collection deadline. Our 2013 goal was to raise $30,000.00 before the final Friday in May (the date set by the Town Administration for when the funds must be donated for the event).

Thursday May 23rd is the Dinner Fundraiser; we will also be collecting over this weekend (weather permitting) at the Landfill, Recycling Center and at Stop and Shop.

Next week is the final week of collections and we’ll be at Dunkin Donuts during the morning rush.

At this point it is highly unlikely we are going to hit our targets and save the event for 2013.

But until 5PM on Friday May 31st we are going to keep at it.

Please come to the Dinner Fundraiser – you’re going to eat well, have fun and enjoy some really good music.

And you never know, maybe with some goodwill and a few deep pockets, perhaps the show can be saved after all.

See you there!

20 days remain, $18,000.00 on the collection drive to go / Collections this weekend washed out by the rain

Good morning Wallingford.

I wanted to update everyone as to our current status of the cancelled Wallingford Fireworks and Independence Day Celebration and let people know that the push is still on to restore this event for 2013.

There are just 20 days left as of today (May 11th) and we still need to raise an additional $18,000.00 to reach the 2013 fundraising campaign goal of $30,000.00. This is per the Mayor’s timeline for when the funds are due – the last Friday of the month of May which this year is the 31st.

This collection effort is for the entire cost of the event – the fireworks themselves and all the municipal services overtime for the police, fire and Public Works departments; none of the costs are being carried by the Town of Wallingford, we either fundraise all of them or the event does not go on.

While we are behind in the effort to date, we are still pressing forward. We are Wallingford and we will get this done.

I am still working on securing the pledge from Campus at Greenhill and Gale Development; if they come in as pledged which is at the same levels as last year it’ll put us a lot closer to the finish line. In the meantime we keep driving this “as is” and we will be back out collecting.

We had planned to be out this morning at the Recycling Center and the landfill but the rain stopped that.

Your individual donations have always been critical but never more than this year; the long winter hampered our March fundraising efforts. We did play a little catch up in April and are now at just about $12,000.00 even. Given just that and averaging forward over the remaining 20 days, we will fall short by about $14,000.00 unless the mail in donations make-up the difference.

Please make checks out to: “Wallingford Fireworks Fund” and send to:

Wallingford Fireworks Fund
c/o Jason Zandri
35 Lincoln Drive EXT
Wallingford, CT 06492

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You can also donate below via PAYPAL if you choose. See the link at the bottom of the page.

We have advertising rates for our 2013 program guide available as well as formal sponsorship of the 2013 event at varying levels; if you or anyone you know can and wish to support us at those levels please drop me an email at Jason@Zandri.net and I will forward you the information.

The 2013 Sponsor Book will be handed out at ALL fundraising events (the first printing is set to go at the end of next week on May 17th), this includes the annual dinner fundraiser and any other events we'll be having until the July 4th fireworks show. (If there are still copies remaining for Celebrate Wallingford 2013 we'll hand them out there as well).

As of today we have set the date for the Dinner Fundraiser at the Stillwood Inn for Thursday May 23, 2013 with a SPECIAL MUSICAL PERFORMANCE from MIKEY WAX (scheduled to appear).  

If you have any capacity and / or desire to continue to help us with the efforts in keeping this grand Wallingford family tradition alive please do not hesitate to contact me directly. Spreading the word to friends and neighbors that might support the efforts is always welcome as well.

Thank you again for your past support and our ongoing efforts.

Jason Zandri

President – Wallingford Fireworks Fund

http://www.wallingfordfireworks.org/

Four weeks to go - $20,000.00 to the goal

Good morning Wallingford.

I wanted to update everyone as to our current status and let people know that the push is on.

I want to start of by expressing my personal thanks once again for your past support to the Wallingford Fireworks Fund and the Wallingford 4^th of July Independence Day Celebration and for all the donations that have been made so far over the past 60 days for 2013.

There are just 27 days left as of today (May 3rd) and we still need to raise an additional $20,000.00 for the 2013 fundraising campaign.

While we are behind in the effort to date, we are not through.

We still have 27 days and we can get this done by May 31st (the last Friday in May, per the Mayor’s timeline for when the funds are due). The worst case scenario is that we miss the needed donation amount to the town and the show will not occur and we’ll push the funds into 2014.

I know Wallingford better than this - we'll do it. We need the additional donations over the remaining weeks but we are going to keep collecting for them and Wallingford will keep giving as they always do.

Saturday May 4th Wayne and I will be out at the Landfill and the Recyclnig Center from 8AM to about noon; please consider stopping by with your donation.

Your donations have always been critical but never more than this year; the long winter hampered our March fundraising efforts. We did play a little catch up in April and are now at just about $10,000.00 even. Given just that and averaging forward over the remaining 27 days, we will fall short by about $15,000.00 unless the mail in donations make-up the difference.

We're going to do it because I know Wallingford residents - we will not let this event fail.

You can also donate below via PAYPAL if you choose.

We have advertising rates for our 2013 program guide available as well as formal sponsorship of the 2013 event at varying levels; if you or anyone you know can and wish to support us at those levels please drop me an email at Jason@Zandri.net and I will forward you the information.

The 2013 Sponsor Book will be handed out at ALL fundraising events (after first printing planned for the second week of May), this includes the annual dinner fundraiser and any other events we'll be having until the July 4th fireworks show. (If there are still copies remaining for Celebrate Wallingford 2013 we'll hand them out there as well).

As of today we have set the date for the Dinner Fundraiser at the Stillwood Inn for Thursday May 23, 2013 with a SPECIAL MUSICAL PERFORMANCE from MIKEY WAX (scheduled to appear).  

If you have any capacity and / or desire to continue to help us with the efforts in keeping this grand Wallingford family tradition alive please do not hesitate to contact me directly. Spreading the word to friends and neighbors that might support the efforts is always welcome as well.

Thank you again for your past support and our ongoing efforts.

Jason Zandri

President – Wallingford Fireworks Fund

http://www.wallingfordfireworks.org/