The show kicked off at 9:15 on the dot and the finale started at 9:42 and lasted two minutes – it was a wonderful night for our 30 minute show; great weather and low humidity.
Three minute segment, six minutes before finale
Three minute segment, three minutes before finale
The Grand Finale
Well Wallingford – it’s that time; this Saturday July 5th is the show. The grounds are open all day but generally people begin gathering after 7PM. The show is expected to start off right around 9:15PM or so but we do recommend that you get there for 8:30PM the latest to see well enough to find a place to sit while there is still some twilight to see by.
The weather looks to be shaping up to be very nice and the humidity looks to be decent so please pack a little something to eat or drink, grab your friends and family, and head down to Hope Hill Road on the grounds of Sheehan, Moran, and Highland Schools to grab a spot and enjoy the show.
Just a few reminders:
Alcohol is not allowed on the grounds of the schools; the police have a presence and they will enforce that law.
There are probably not as many trash containers as we all would like but please be considerate – if you brought it there, take it away.
Parking – it is available on the school grounds but it fills up; when you are parking in the neighborhood please be mindful of:
As a final reminder – please remember, this is your show; we would not have one if all of you did not donate. We thank you so very much for the support that has allowed The Fund to restore this show for the 5th year in a row. When you see us walking the grounds and collecting for 2015 please consider donating and be as generous as your budget allows. This is the ONLY way there will be a show in 2015
As with all things regarding this effort – thank you for supporting us; we could not do it without you.
HAPPY FLAG DAY EVERYONE
We are fundraising today, Saturday June 14 and tomorrow Sunday June 15 to cover the remainder of our expenses for 2014 at the Wallingford Stop and Shop.
In order to cover the $25,000.00 cost of the show for 2014 we needed to draw out our entire account and we have bills due (food costs from the dinner fund raiser, thank you letters to send, monthly checking account service costs, etc.).
We are planning to be there from 8AM Saturday to about 1PM and then from at least noon to 3PM on Sunday.
Any remaining funds beyond our current bills will be kept for the 2015 event.
If you’ve already supported us we thank you so much. If you have a couple more dollars to give we can use it, everything helps.
Beyond that the information for the show itself is as follows:
INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION - SATURDAY JULY 5TH
ON THE GROUNDS OF SHEEHAN HIGH - SHOW STARTS AROUND 9:15PM
WEATHER PERMITTING – IF IT RAINS AND THE TOWN CALLS THE SHOW IT IS CANCELLED; THERE IS NO RAIN DATE
To be presented to Mayor Dickinson on Monday morning:
Wallingford Fireworks Fund
Jason Zandri
35 Lincoln Drive EXT
Wallingford, CT 06492
06/02/2014
Mayor William Dickinson Jr.
45 South Main Street
Wallingford CT 06492
Good morning Mayor Dickinson,
It is with great pleasure that the Wallingford Fireworks Fund presents this check to the Town of Wallingford on behalf of the citizens and business owners of the town in support of the Wallingford 4th of July Independence Day celebration.
Since 2010, the start of the fifth decade of this grand Wallingford tradition on the school grounds on the west side of town, the supporters of this event have donated their time, money, and efforts, to the preservation and continuation of the event which commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring our nation’s independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.
Please find enclosed the total sum of $24,959.00 for all the associated expenditures of the show which consist of the cost of the pyrotechnics, as well as all the costs for the town services used for the event, including but not limited to, Police Department overtime, Fire Department overtime, Fire Marshal fees, costs for the Board of Education overtime, as well as other ancillary costs.
It is our hope that in the future the Town will plan ahead for the reinstatement of this community event alongside all of the other community events still maintained by the town proper. We are certain the Administration understands the difference between “just” maintaining a town and supporting a prospering and thriving community and it is with that presumed understanding that consideration will be given again for this event in the future.
Until that time, we will continue our efforts for as long as we are able to perform the work and as long as we have the backing of the community.
Jason Zandri
President – Wallingford Fireworks Fund
http://www.wallingfordfireworks.org/
Thank you for all the support since March and helping us get this done.
This was after the Memorial Day game on May 26, 2014
This is it folks. We had our meeting with the Council on Tuesday night to report out where we were. I took the opportunity to ask them to cover the $13,000 in city services and we were declined. I followed up with “just” the police at $9,000 seeing as how they are overfunded every year and could easily absorb their own costs.
The Mayor said “NO”.
The Council made no motions so no attempt to change anything was made.
This is the end; with respect to all the increases in general, the costs for the city services now exceed the show itself. We are dictated to carry them as set by the town and they are not obligated to do anything to make it any easier for us despite the fact that they could.
All the checks I have are cleared of the accounts and I have more cash that was dropped off – we have basically $1,000 more to raise.
We have the “OK” to drop the check off on Monday morning as opposed to Friday at the close of business so that gives us the next four days.
We really need the funds in; I know many people like to write a check and mail it so if you need to do that today is the day. I need it to be deposited and cleared before Saturday so I can get a bank check to present to the town on Monday.
If you want to mail it please make it out and send it to:
Wallingford Fireworks Fund
c/o Jason Zandri
35 Lincoln Drive EXT
Wallingford, CT 06492
Other than that we do have a Paypal account to accept donations:
Additionally, donations can be dropped at Wallingford Lamp and Shade on Center Street.
We will be collecting at the Landfill and the Recycling Center on Saturday May 31st. from 8AM to about 1PM – you can swing by and drop your donations there as well.
See you at the finish line.
All the cash is counted - we are still $1,267.25 from our target.
As a reminder here are the details of what we are now expected to pay (please see our prior blog post where our costs rose):
| Fireworks Show 2014 | $11,925.00 | |
| Police Overtime | $9,004.00 | |
| Fire Department / Overtime | $2,400.00 | |
| Port-o-lets | $200.00 | |
| Fire Marshall | $950.00 | |
| Board of Ed | $480.00 | |
| R Band and Sound (cancelled) | $0.00 | |
| 2014 Total Show expense | $24,959.00 | |
| Current cash | $23,691.75 | |
| To estimated show target | ($1,267.25) | |
| Original 2014 Goal | $30,000.00 | |
| To 2014 Campaign Goal | ($6,308.25) |
We are not going to make our 2014 campaign goals (which would have allowed us to save the R Band performance as we did last year) and we need another $1,267.25 to simply restore the show.
The clock is ticking.
You can donate by mail; make checks out to: “Wallingford Fireworks Fund” and send to:
Wallingford Fireworks Fund
c/o Jason Zandri
35 Lincoln Drive EXT
Wallingford, CT 06492
The main issue now with getting checks via mail is their clearing in time to present a check to the town by the deadline date.
We also accept donations by PayPal
Every dollar helps us reach that goal – we are only going to get there with your help.
We will be at the REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING on TUESDAY May 27, 2014 to report out to the Town Council – if you have the time to make the meeting please consider coming down.
Thank you for all your support to date – a little more gets us over the line with effectively no time to spare.
We have successfully done this in each of the prior four years (since 2010) – I know we can do this again.
We just got Wayne set up at 6:30AM and Kelly will be at the Landfill starting at 8AM and Charlotte will be there to take over at 11AM. We plan to be at both locations until at least noon and hopefully until 1PM (as long as the heavier rain holds off).
As of yesterday’s blog post we still needed about $4,700 to cover the full cost of the show including all of the town services – costs that have gone up sharply this year. (We will be following up with the Town Council regarding this on Tuesday.)
Further, until 11:59PM on Monday May 26th (Memorial Day) I will personally match every donation made up to $2,500.
Since then we have collected $920 more in donations; with my $920 on top of that we have $1,480 of the $4,700 we need.
$3,220 remains to be raised and we will be at it this morning.
You can donate by mail; make checks out to: “Wallingford Fireworks Fund” and send to:
Wallingford Fireworks Fund
c/o Jason Zandri
35 Lincoln Drive EXT
Wallingford, CT 06492
We also accept donations by PayPal
Every dollar helps us reach that goal – we are only going to get there with your help.
We will be at the REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING on TUESDAY May 27, 2014 to report out to the Town Council – if you have the time to make the meeting please consider coming down.
Thank you for all your support to date – a little more gets us over the line with effectively no time to spare.
Donate at our collection points on Saturday and we’ll count it up and I'll match that
too.
Let’s roll Wallingford, let's roll and get this done.
| Fireworks Show 2014 | $11,925.00 | |
| Police Overtime | $8,000.00 | |
| Fire Department / Overtime | $2,000.00 | |
| Port-o-lets | $200.00 | |
| Fire Marshall | $950.00 | |
| Public Works | $0.00 | |
| Board of Ed | $425.00 | |
| R Band and Sound | $0.00 | |
| 2014 Total Show expense | $23,500.00 | |
| To estimated show target | ($5,378.00) | |
| Current cash (and Campus pledge - not yet received) | $18,122.00 |
| Fireworks Show 2014 | $11,925.00 | |
| Police Overtime | $9,004.00 | |
| Fire Department / Overtime | $2,400.00 | |
| Port-o-lets | $200.00 | |
| Fire Marshall | $950.00 | |
| Public Works | $0.00 | |
| Board of Ed | $480.00 | |
| R Band and Sound | $0.00 | |
| 2014 Total Show expense | $24,959.00 | |
| To estimated show target | ($6,837.00) | |
| Current cash (and Campus pledge - not yet received) | $18,122.00 |
A few more checks arrived and a couple of hand delivered donations came in as well so with that we gained on the total show expense of $23,500.00 – we now sit at needing $5,400.00 more to cut a check to the town of Wallingford for the show.
The R Band performance has been deleted from our costs in order to reduce the overall expenditure; if we somehow manage to collect an additional $3,700.00 for their cost, the cost of the sound system and the set up, as well as the associated overtime costs for Public Works we CAN restore the performance but with only 9 days remaining that is not likely.
We will be at the REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING on TUESDAY May 27, 2014 to report out to the Town Council – if you have the time to make the meeting please consider coming down.
Presently here is the cost line up:
| Fireworks Show 2014 | $11,925.00 | |
| Police Overtime | $8,000.00 | |
| Fire Department / Overtime | $2,000.00 | |
| Port-o-lets | $200.00 | |
| Fire Marshall | $950.00 | |
| Public Works | $0.00 | |
| Board of Ed | $425.00 | |
| R Band and Sound | $0.00 | |
| 2014 Total Show expense | $23,500.00 | |
| To estimated show target | ($5,378.00) | |
| Current cash (and Campus pledge - not yet received) | $18,122.00 |
So that’s the update right now.
Between now and the deadline I will post regular updates.
In the meantime – if you’ve already supported us, thank you. If you have another few dollars to send in now is the time. The money CAN be raised in the remaining time if people are willing to donate.
It’s 54 more $100.00 donations. Or 108 $50.00 donations. $20.00 more from 270 of you closes that gap.
10,000 people are estimated to be at the show - $1.00 a piece does it.
You can donate by mail; make checks out to: “Wallingford Fireworks Fund” and send to:
Wallingford Fireworks Fund
c/o Jason Zandri,
35 Lincoln Drive EXT
Wallingford, CT 06492
We also accept donations by PayPal:
Let’s roll Wallingford, let’s roll.
Just wanted to update everyone from yesterday’s collection efforts on Saturday the 17th; we managed to pull in about $700.00 collecting in the morning and $300.00 in checks came in so with that we gained on the total show expense of $23,500.00 – we now sit at needing $6,000.00 more to cut a check to the town of Wallingford for the show.
As a result of the overall shortfall the R Band performance has been deleted from our costs; if we somehow manage to collect an additional $3,700.00 for their cost, the cost of the sound system and the set up, as well as the associated overtime costs for Public Works we CAN restore the performance but with only 13 days remaining that is not likely.
Presently here is the cost line up:
| Fireworks Show 2014 | $11,925.00 | |
| Police Overtime | $8,000.00 | |
| Fire Department / Overtime | $2,000.00 | |
| Port-o-lets | $200.00 | |
| Fire Marshall | $950.00 | |
| Public Works | $0.00 | |
| Board of Ed | $425.00 | |
| R Band and Sound | $0.00 | |
| 2014 Total Show expense | $23,500.00 | |
| To estimated show target | ($6,017.00) | |
| Current cash (and Campus pledge - not yet received) | $17,483.00 |
So that’s the update right now.
Between now and the deadline I will post daily updates.
In the meantime – if you’ve already supported us, thank you. If you have another few dollars to send in now is the time. $6,000.00 over 13 days sounds like a lot but it really isn’t.
It’s 60 $100.00 donations. Or 120 $50.00 donations. $20.00 more from 300 of you closes that gap.
10,000 people are estimated to be at the show - $1.00 a piece does it.
You can donate by mail; make checks out to: “Wallingford Fireworks Fund” and send to:
Wallingford Fireworks Fund
c/o Jason Zandri,
35 Lincoln Drive EXT
Wallingford, CT 06492
We also accept donations by PayPal:
Let’s roll Wallingford, let’s roll.
This is it folks; where the donations really matter the most.
Campus at Greenhill as stepped up for 2014 with a $10,000.00 and offered to partner with The Fund to save our event. This brings their three year total partnership donations to $40,000 with $15,000 donated in 2012 and $15,000 donated in 2013.
Once this donation is received (expected this week by wire transfer) we are still technically $10,000 short for the show.
With that, we are not going to be able to fund the R Band performance. In 2010 and 2011 there was not enough in donations to fund them for the show. They did play in 2012 and 2013. If somehow we raise additional funds in time we will add them back in but as it stands we are unlikely to have the money to cover their costs, the costs of the sound system and the overtime for Public Works to set up and remove the ShowMobile.
Reducing that expense puts us at $7,000 to go and 13 days to do it (from this blog post on 5/17).
This morning we are going to be at the Landfill, The Recycling Center and the Yalesville Dunkin Donuts so if you can swing by with a donation that would be great.
Additionally you can donate by mail; make checks out to: “Wallingford Fireworks Fund” and send to:
Wallingford Fireworks Fund
c/o Jason Zandri,
35 Lincoln Drive EXT
Wallingford, CT 06492
We also accept donations by PayPal:
So the bottom line is this – our biggest deficit to overcome was 2011 where we needed $5,000 in the last two weeks.
This one is $2,000 more than that in the same time.
This is Wallingford so we are just going to get it done with your help.
Let’s roll
You can mail your tax deductable donation (we are a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization - tax id# is 27-2576599) to:
Wallingford Fireworks Fund
c/o 35 Lincoln Drive EXT
Wallingford CT 06492
We also accept donations online via Paypal
As a reminder of all the costs we have to bear:
Pyrotechnics (fireworks) $11,925.00
R- Band $2,090.00
Sound $1,100.00
Public Works $ 400.00
Port-o-Lets $ 200.00
The above costs are $15,715.00 and the fireworks are $11,925.00 for a total of $27,640.00
I am still waiting on the costs for the Fire Marshall, the Board of Ed person for Sheehan and the overtime for the Fire Department and the Police Department as the Fund is responsible for those costs as well.
In 2013 those costs were:
Board of Ed $ 425.00
Fire Marshal $ 950.00
Fire Department Overtime $2,100.00
Police Department Overtime $8,250.00
CAMPUS AT GREENHILL WALLINGFORD FIREWORKS FUND
FAMILY FUNDRAISER DINNER
ZANDRI’S STILLWOOD INN – 7:00P.M.
1074 SO. COLONY RD., WALLINGFORD
THURSDAY MAY 15, 2014
TICKETS: $25.00 EACH / CHILDREN UNDER 12 $12.50
We are a registered 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization; our tax id# is 27-2576599
Family Style Baked Chicken, Ziti and Meatballs, Tossed Salad, Italian Bread – Cash bar
SPECIAL PERFORMANCE
Jeff Kenniston and Trent Gerbers of Addison Station
For more information, please contact:
Jason Zandri - (860) 614 6069 Jason@Zandri.net
Or visit our blog http://wallingfordfireworks.blogspot.com/
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
We are ready to start our collections this morning (despite the light rain) and there are three weeks that remain to the Dinner Fundraiser. We will be at the Wallingford Landfill and the Recycling Center until about noon today or perhaps a little later if you can swing by and drop your donation into the bucket.
We have reduced our collection campaign goal for 2014 to the bare minimum of $30,000.00 which puts the performance of the R Band at the show at risk (that is the first thing we have cut in the past to save the overall show as it is a larger item and the show can continue without it as needed). Even by reducing that total cost (for the band and the sound system of $3,190.00) we would still need to collect a bare minimum of $24,250.00. Of that $11,925.00 are the fireworks themselves; $12,325.00 are mainly the town services for police and fire overtime as well as some costs for the the fire marshal and the board of education custodial overtime.
The deadline for the donation to the Town of Wallingford is due by May 30th for the show scheduled for July 5th, 2014.
If we cannot collect what is needed to pay for the entire event there will likely be no show this year. At this point in time, just as it has been since 2010, the Town itself is not affording any funding to this event. The job to save the celebration is ours “we the people” to make or break unless something changes.
If you are not out this morning and cannot stop by, you can mail your tax deductable donation (we are a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization - tax id# is 27-2576599) to:
Wallingford Fireworks Fund
c/o 35 Lincoln Drive EXT
Wallingford CT 06492
We also accept donations online via Paypal
As a reminder of all the costs we have to bear:
Pyrotechnics (fireworks) $11,925.00
R- Band $2,090.00
Sound $1,100.00
Public Works $ 400.00
Port-o-Lets $ 200.00
The above costs are $15,715.00 and the fireworks are $11,925.00 for a total of $27,640.00
I am still waiting on the costs for the Fire Marshall, the Board of Ed person for Sheehan and the overtime for the Fire Department and the Police Department as the Fund is responsible for those costs as well.
In 2013 those costs were:
Board of Ed $ 425.00
Fire Marshal $ 950.00
Fire Department Overtime $2,100.00
Police Department Overtime $8,250.00
CAMPUS AT GREENHILL WALLINGFORD FIREWORKS FUND
FAMILY FUNDRAISER DINNER
ZANDRI’S STILLWOOD INN – 7:00P.M.
1074 SO. COLONY RD., WALLINGFORD
THURSDAY MAY 15, 2014
TICKETS: $25.00 EACH / CHILDREN UNDER 12 $12.50
Family Style Baked Chicken, Ziti and Meatballs, Tossed Salad, Italian Bread – Cash bar
SPECIAL PERFORMANCE
Jeff Kenniston and Trent Gerbers of Addison Station
For more information, please contact:
Jason Zandri - (860) 614 6069 Jason@Zandri.net
Hey gang - good morning.
Here is the run down the next few weeks of where we have locations for collecting donations.
The message here is really two fold – we want to let you know where we will be in the hopes that if you’re interested in supporting the effort you can swing by and make a donation. At the same time, we can use some more volunteers if folks have that interest as well; we have more work than people right now so if donating your time is something you’d like to do as well please let me know.
The May 30th deadline set by Mayor Dickinson is just six weeks away and we still need to collect an additional $22,000.00 to lock in the event for 2014.
Here is the upcoming schedule:
Saturday 4/26 planned 8 to 1 at the Landfill and the recycling center (both locations).
Friday 5/2 planned for Stop and Shop around 3:30PM to 7:30PM
Saturday 5/3 planned 8 to 1 at the Landfill, the recycling center and the Yalesville Dunkin Donuts (all three locations)
Friday 5/9 planned for Stop and Shop around 3:30PM to 7:30PM
Saturday 5/10 planned 8 to 1 (possibly to 2 if the traffic volume supports it) at the Landfill and the recycling center (two locations)
Thanks again for your support in both monetary donations and the donation of time and effort – both are needed equally to make this a success.
If you’d like to make a donation, you can mail your tax deductible donation (we are a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization - tax id# is 27-2576599) to:
Wallingford Fireworks Fund
c/o 35 Lincoln Drive EXT
Wallingford CT 06492
We also accept donations online via Paypal
We are ready to start our collections this morning and we have a hair over $4,000.00 collected all together; that is about 15% of what we need. Normally by this point we are at about $9,000.00; the March collections were seriously impacted due to the long winter. We are hoping the thaw and the mail campaign starts to make up for that.
We also have a dinner fundraiser planned and we’ll be posting details for that this week.
In the meantime, we had an original collection goal for 2014 of $35,000.00 we have reduced that to the bare minimum of $30,000.00 which puts the performance of the R Band at the show at risk (that is the first thing we have cut in the past to save the overall show as it is a larger item and the show can continue without it as needed). Even by reducing that total cost (for the band and the sound system of $3,190.00) we would still need to collect a bare minimum of $24,250.00. Of that $11,925.00 are the fireworks themselves; $12,325.00 are mainly the town services for police and fire overtime as well as some costs for the the fire marshal and the board of education custodial overtime.
The deadline for these donations, which ever one we meet, is due to the town of Wallingford by May 30th for the show scheduled for July 5th, 2014.
If we cannot collect what is needed to pay for the entire event there will likely be no show this year. At this point in time, just as it has been since 2010, the Town itself is not affording any funding to this event. The job to save the celebration is ours “we the people” to make or break unless something changes.
We will be at the Wallingford Landfill and the Recycling Center until about noon today or perhaps a little later if you can swing by and drop your donation into the bucket.
Alternately – you can mail your tax deductable donation (we are a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization - tax id# is 27-2576599) to:
Wallingford Fireworks Fund
c/o 35 Lincoln Drive EXT
Wallingford CT 06492
We also accept donations online via Paypal
As a reminder of all the costs we have to bear:
Pyrotechnics (fireworks) $11,925.00
R- Band $2,090.00
Sound $1,100.00
Public Works $ 400.00
Port-o-Lets $ 200.00
The above costs are $15,715.00 and the fireworks are $11,925.00 for a total of $27640.00
I am still waiting on the costs for the Fire Marshall, the Board of Ed person for Sheehan and the overtime for the Fire Department and the Police Department as the Fund is responsible for those costs as well.
In 2013 those costs were:
Board of Ed $ 425.00
Fire Marshal $ 950.00
Fire Department Overtime $2,100.00
Police Department Overtime $8,250.00
This is our task for 2014. It is up to Wallingford businesses and residents again, as it has been since 2010, to save the show.
We hope you can help out in any way you can; every dollar helps
March as well as the first week of April have come and gone.
Our collection balance is just $3,230.00 presently; that is about 11% of what we need. We had an original collection goal for 2014 of $35,000.00 we have reduced that to the bare minimum of $30,000.00 which puts the performance of the R Band at the show at risk (that is the first thing we have cut in the past to save the overall show as it is a larger item and the show can continue without it as needed.
The deadline for the donation to the town of Wallingford is May 30th for the show scheduled for July 5th, 2014
If we cannot collect what is needed to pay for the entire event there will be no show this year; at this point in time, just as it has been since 2010, the Town itself is not affording any funding to this event. The job to save the celebration is ours “we the people” to make or break.
We will be at the Wallingford Landfill and the Recycling Center until about noon today if you can swing by and drop your donation into the bucket.
Alternately – you can mail your tax deductable donation (we are a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization - tax id# is 27-2576599) to:
Wallingford Fireworks Fund
c/o 35 Lincoln Drive EXT
Wallingford CT 06492
We also accept donations online via Paypal
As a reminder of all the costs we have to bear:
Wallingford is going to be able to extend the bid that we had on the show we’ve been getting over the prior two years at $11,925.00
The other costs that they have available for us are as follows:
R- Band $2,090.00
Sound $1,100.00
Public Works $ 400.00
Port-o-Lets $ 200.00
The above costs are $15,715.00
I am still waiting on the costs for the Fire Marshall, the Board of Ed person for Sheehan and the overtime for the Fire Department and the Police Department as the Fund is responsible for those costs as well.
In 2013 those costs were:
Board of Ed $ 425.00
Fire Marshall $ 950.00
Fire Department Overtime $2,100.00
Police Department Overtime $8,250.00
So we are looking at least at an additional $11,725.00 on top of the known $15,715.00
This is our task for 2014. It is up to Wallingford businesses and residents again, as it has been since 2010, to save the show.
We hope you can help out in any way you can; every dollar helps.
It looks like the rain is going to hold off until about noon so Steve and Wayne will be out at the Landfill and the Recycling centers this morning, Saturday March 22nd until about noon or whenever the rain moves in.
It’ll be cold too with temperatures in the 30s until later but we have to get out – normally we would have been out the past three weekends but the remaining snow and the weather made it too difficult to do.
If you’re out and about and want to stop by and throw some change or bills in the collection buckets to help the effort that would be great – please stop by.
Alternately – you can mail your tax deductable donation (we are a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization - tax id# is 27-2576599) to:
Wallingford Fireworks Fund
c/o 35 Lincoln Drive EXT
Wallingford CT 06492
We also accept donations online via Paypal:
Time is short – we have until May 30 – basically eight more weeks to try to reach our 2014 fundraising goal of $35,000.00
We can do it. We’ve done it four years running and with your help we’ll do it again.
Thank you
Jason Zandri
President – Wallingford Fireworks Fund
http://www.wallingfordfireworks.org/
We have some of the information on “exact” costs of the services from the Wallingford Parks and Recreation Department.
Wallingford is going to be able to extend the bid that we had on the show we’ve been getting over the prior two years at $11,925.00
The other costs that they have available for us are as follows:
R- Band $2,090.00
Sound $1,100.00
Public Works $ 400.00
Port-o-Lets $ 200.00
The above costs are $15,715.00
I am still waiting on the costs for the Fire Marshall, the Board of Ed person for Sheehan and the overtime for the Fire Department and the Police Department as the Fund is responsible for those costs as well.
In 2013 those costs were:
Board of Ed $ 425.00
Fire Marshall $ 950.00
Fire Department Overtime $2,100.00
Police Department Overtime $8,250.00
So we are looking at least at an additional $11,725.00 on top of the known $15,715.00
The long winter has hampered our early donation collection efforts - in prior years we would have been already out the past two weekends and this one as well. We are hoping to get started next weekend so with that we are going to hold our fundraising meeting and we are making an open call to those that want to volunteer their time to help out.
We will be meeting on Tuesday March 18th at Gaetano’s Tavern on Main at 7:30PM to discuss fundraising efforts and possible event between now and the end of May when The Fund needs to make the donation to the town.
Please consider joining the effort even if you have only a few hours to spare overall – we can use all the help we can get.
With the first weekend of March here, as we have in each of the past four (save year one), we are kicking off our fundraising campaign.
This year we are presented with many headwind challenges starting with the weather.
In years past we would have tried to collections started this week (and in the past have) but with eight inches of snow on the ground and more forecasted we are hampered to even begin and it looks as if next weekend will be equally impaired.
Now it might sound like there’s plenty of time but there really isn’t. Although the fireworks are not normally scheduled until the Saturday after the 4th (which this year will be July 5th) the money is due to the Town of Wallingford per Mayor Dickinson’s directive by the last Friday in May which is the 30th.
That leaves us just 12 weeks to collect donations.
Last year was very successful – with Campus at Greenhilll as the Naming Convention Sponsor for the second year in a row (2012 and 2013) we were able to keep pulling donations right to the very last week and were able to restore the R Band performance which we never had been able to do prior. We are hopeful for the same success this year as well from both the perspective of keeping Campus at Greenhilll as the Naming Convention Sponsor as well as locking in the performance by the R Band.
Our efforts and your donations from 2013 covered every expense of the show – from the fireworks themselves to the Police and Fire department overtime as the Town of Wallingford shares none of the expenses of the show and hasn’t since the 2010 cancellation. We are expecting more of the same for this year as well. (I will be confirming with a call to the Mayor’s office on Monday March 3rd).
As such the costs are estimated as follows (from 2013 and expected to increase for 2014 as all costs do):
| Fireworks Show 2014 | $11,925.00 | |
| Police Overtime | $8,250.00 | |
| Fire Department / Overtime | $2,100.00 | |
| Port-o-lets | $200.00 | |
| Fire Marshall | $950.00 | |
| Public Works | $425.00 | |
| Board of Ed | $425.00 | |
| R Band and Sound | $3,400.00 | |
| 2014 Total Show expense | $27,675.00 |
Now the variables.
The contract with the prior fireworks vendor has expired and the cost for the fireworks has to go out to bid. The Town of Wallingford does this – the Fireworks Fund has no part in that process.
The 2010 show was our most expensive at $16,500.00 (with the total cost of the show that year of $28,312.00 and the performance by the R Band was cut because we barely made the amount needed).
So as of right now we have no hard, fast cost on the fireworks themselves.
I have a letter in the mail to Comptroller Jim Bowes to hammer out the costs of all the Wallingford services overtime so at least with will become a known quantity.
The other major impact this year is the loss of a major work contributor on behalf of the effort in my father Geno Zandri Jr. He has been a solid supporter of the effort in years past dedicating hundreds of hours to the pail shaking collection efforts but like so many other people today – he has to curtail his time in a major way with so many other things he has going on.
His loss will be significantly felt.
Steve Murray, Wayne Montefusco and I have sat down to discuss what to do and we have split up the work and we are off.
As much as we need people’s donations we need people’s time as well to help us with the collection efforts this year.
In a week or two we will have a formal fundraising committee meeting and we are hoping new workers will step up to help.
The three of us have talked and have decided we’ll commit the time, some personal money, and effort to the cause.
The rest is up to Wallingford as it always has been to save the show once again.
Let’s roll.
