OPERATION GRATITUDE

The Wallingford Fund and the Wallingford Elks Lodge 1365 are sponsoring 

OPERATION GRATITUDE

for members of the military services from Wallingford.

There will be a collection on Saturday December 17th 2016 from 10:30AM to 2:30PM at the Wallingford Elks Lodge 1365, 148 South Main Street, Wallingford. 

What we're doing: 

We are looking for friends and family of active military members that could use a "thank you" - so if you know of someone that meets these eligibility requirements, please contact Jason@Zandri.net so they can be added to the care list. 

Beyond looking for eligible candidates to send packages to, we need the items to fill them and monetary donations to offset the cost of the shipping. If you want to help out, stop by the Wallingford Elks Lodge 1365, 148 South Main Street with your items (or some cash) on Saturday December 17th 2016 from 10:30AM to 2:30PM.

You can also support us by making a donation online:

Please see the full details below and consider helping out.

Those that serve the country give up so much, risk so much; this time of year, especially, is when we should show our appreciation and gratitude.

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What the Troops Ask For – (updated 11-19-2016)

• $25 / $50 VISA and MC gift cards (gives them maximum flexibility, for WIFI, etc. Any amount is fine – these amounts are the suggestions) 
• Phone cards (major brands - international
• Personal hygiene items (unscented whenever possible)  
• wet wipes, individually wrapped 
• disposable razors (men's and women's) 
• chap sticks / lip balm  
• body wash, lotion, face wash, mouth wash, deodorant, q-tips, shampoo, conditioner, foot powder 

• Feminine products (unscented whenever possible)  
• Small packs of napkins and tampons 
• Female version of body wash, lotion, razors, face wash, mouth wash, deodorant, q-tips, hair detangler, face moisturizer, shampoo, conditioner 
• Small grooming kits 
• Sunscreen 
• Magazines (clean content – for reading) / Fun posters and calendars for dressing the place up 
• AA batteries / AAA batteries 
• Movies / music on thumb drives only (“USB devices are cool to send movies, TV shows, music; scan for viruses free.” 
• 1 GB+ USB memory sticks (thumb drives) (blank) 
• Cards, letters, group photos (we want them to know real people did this for them) 
• Laundry PODS packed in a sturdy plastic or metal container. 
• Tobacco (“yes a lot of us smoke, dip, chew, and vape”) 
• Books (Popular series and authors are best, romance novels are not that great unless someone asks for them).
  

Food Stuffs

• Hard candy (Please do not send troops a lot of melty things like chocolate - Chocolate Bunnies and Peeps “die” in the mail in alarming numbers)
• Cookies / crackers 
• Corn nuts 
• Protein bars/powder, Granola and other snack bars 
• Rice Krispy Treats 
• Slim Jims / Beef jerky 
• Nuts other than peanuts in re-sealable containers (re-sealable pouches) 
• Dried fruits in re-sealable containers (re-sealable pouches) 
• Dried fruits, tree nuts, almonds, cashews, cranberries, cherries, and blueberries. 
• Tins and packets of flavored coffee and cappuccino 
• Breath mints / gum

  

Wallingford Fireworks Fund is now The Wallingford Fund

From the desire of her citizens to save the 2010 fireworks celebration in Wallingford Connecticut, the Wallingford Fireworks Fund was formed.

Since then, and over six years of successful fundraising campaigns, The Fund is no longer singularly focused, as the need to fundraise for the fireworks has dissipated.

But our work is still needed.

Presently we are a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization (tax id# is 27-2576599)

The efforts of this group will be to find needs of the Town of Wallingford that are going overlooked, unfunded, or otherwise neglected, and try to find ways to change that.

Join us. Pay it forward in the best of possible ways - surrounded by friends.

No fundraising collection efforts for the 2016 Independence Day celebration planned.

Hi folks.

The officers and the volunteers (all seven of us in total) of the Wallingford Fireworks Fund have decided to not engage in any collections this year.
 

The town of Wallingford has been able to raise the general fund balance (savings account) from $20 million dollars to $27.5 million since 2011, all the while, paying down $50 million in debt down to $33 million.
 

These are both very positive things.
 

With these facts, it is very clear that the town can well afford to spend the $35,000 for the event.
 

There is a plan to make a request of the Wallingford Town Council to restore the funds for the event, as the administrative budget, (the Mayor's), once again does not include them. 
 

Make sure you attend that meeting to show your support.
 

Thank you for all the support since 2010 in keeping the celebration of the birth of our nation alive and well in Wallingford.
 

We could not have done it without you.
 

 

 

Your 2015 4th of July Independence Day Celebration - four minute mid-segment and the Grand Finale

 

This is a four minute segment to give you a feel of the overall show. There were A LOT of shells in that four minute segment.

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This was the final minute or so of the show and then the Grand Finale.

Saving Wallingford’s Fireworks - Act VI

Saving Wallingford’s Fireworks

Act VI

 

2015 arrived with bountiful volumes of snow again this year and just as it was in 2013 and 2014, there was still a foot of snow on the ground through to the first week of April. This again hampered our collection efforts into mid-April. The seven volunteer spent much of that time sending out mailings to the residents and doing some canvas work of businesses in an effort to get sponsorships from them as we had done in prior years and we did a little pail shaking too.

This year I did not have my normal discussion with Mayor Dickinson. He has steadfastly maintained in all the years prior that the Town would not be able to partner with the Fund in covering some costs such as the cost of the employee overtime and services and I expected nothing different this year. Taxes went up (basically) $108.30 on average for the median assessed household and if the FULL SHOW was included in the taxes (all costs – including the fireworks) that would have made the tax increase go up an additional $2.00 to (about) $110.30.

 

Instead I watched during the budgets, the departments not ask the Mayor for consideration of the costs for the overtime, and I watched the Mayor not include it in his budget that was presented to the public and the Town Council.

 

I approached the Council regarding covering the $13,000 or so for the town services and after some discussions and deliberations, the Council did add seventy cents to the tax increase, taking it to (about) $109.00 to cover the town services for the July 4^th Independence Day event which is now scheduled for July 11^th on the school grounds on the west side of town.

 

With that, the seven volunteers continued our efforts to raise the $16,000 still needed.

 

The end result of the efforts were a success even without a major corporate sponsor. Over the prior three years Gale Development and the Campus at Greenhill donated $15,000 (2012), $15,000 (2013), and $10,000 (2014). We were hopeful for their partnership again in 2015 but it was not to pass. Regardless, we are thankful for all the help and support they have offered us over the past three years. They have indicated their desire to work with us for future events so I am still hopeful that we may be able to approach them again for future events. We will continue to look to other Wallingford corporations to support this event and sponsor it in 2016.

 

The residents and businesses of Wallingford, as well as some supporting friends and neighbors from other towns, made sure 2015 did not pass without a celebration of the birth of our nation. Like so many of us with actual birthdays on one day and a party on another when it’s more convenient – Wallingford celebrates the 239^th birthday of the United States of America on July 11, 2015.

 

To every supporter of the Wallingford Fireworks Fund – thank you for six years of support – we could NOT do this without you

 

Jason Zandri

President – Wallingford Fireworks Fund

 

 

2015 Program Guide - updated as of 7/10/2015

Wallingford - please join us for your 4th of July Independence Day Celebration this Saturday July 11th

Well Wallingford – it’s that time; this Saturday July 11th 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.

For more details on this please see the Press Statement from the Wallingford Department of Police Services



Parking – it is available on the school grounds but it fills up; when you are parking in the neighborhood please be mindful of:

• Right of way – please make sure you are not blocking people’s driveways
• Emergency vehicles – in most cases, parking is temporarily prohibited on one side of the street; this is to make sure emergency vehicles can get to where they need to go.
• Neighborhoods – as we park and pass through them please consider yourself a guest there and behave like one. Yes there is a big celebration going on but we are still walking through someone else’s “home” – please be considerate; don’t do something to and from your car that you’d find unacceptable or intolerable in your own neighborhood

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 6th year in a row.

When you see us walking the grounds and collecting for 2016 please consider donating and be as generous as your budget allows. This is the ONLY way there will be a show in 2016.
As with all things regarding this effort – thank you for supporting us; we could not do it without you. 

Four days to go – $925.00 remains

The checks we have are cleared and the money we had in savings from last year is fully transferred over; we are still looking for that final $925.00

We have raised and transferred in from our savings account a total of  $15,075.00. We are on the Town Council Agenda for Tuesday May 26 to present the funds to the town and we need to have all the money in – this is our final push to get that done.

If you can stop by and see us this weekend (with cash because we need checks cleared) please do.

If you are planning to send a check you can to the address below; it won’t likely clear to the account in time but we can use it for our bills (postage for thank you letters, additional printing costs for the program guides, etc).

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

If you’d like to support us via PAYPAL you can as well; these funds will directly go into the donation to the town:

Each year as we come down to the wire the people of Wallingford step up; I expect we will again. It will be a great honor to gift these funds toward the event on your behalf at the Council meeting.

Once this is complete, only the weather can stop us (there is no rain date). At present, the celebration will be held on the grounds of Moran, Sheehan, and Highland schools on Saturday July 11th for our event.

Thank you everyone who has already donated and everyone that is going to step up between now and the 26th – this ONLY happens because of you.

Five days to go - $1,200.00 still needed

With the success of our Paint Night fund raiser behind us as part of the effort from the Wallingford's 12 Months of Giving community we will be out this weekend collecting at the Wallingford Landfill, Wallingford Post Office and the South Colony Dunkin Donuts to close the final $1,200.00 gap needed for the fireworks.

We have raised and transferred in from our savings account a total of  $14,796.00. We are on the Town Council Agenda for Tuesday May 26 to present the funds to the town and we need to have all the money in – this is our final push to get that done.

If you can stop by and see us this weekend (with cash because we need checks cleared) please do.

If you are planning to send a check you can to the address below; if you could do that today it would be extremely helpful.

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

If you’d like to support us via PAYPAL you can as well:

Each year as we come down to the wire the people of Wallingford step up; I expect we will again. It will be a great honor to gift these funds toward the event on your behalf at the Council meeting.

Let’s make it happen and I’ll see you on the grounds of Moran, Sheehan, and Highland schools on Saturday July 11th for our event.

Thank you everyone who has already donated and everyone that is going to step up between now and the 26th – this ONLY happens because of you.

Three weeks remain - $5,940.00 to go

On Saturday May 9th we will be collecting at the Wallingford Landfill as well as the Post Office in Wallingford Center.

We have about three weeks remaining as the funds are due to the town on the final Friday of the month – May 29th.

As it stands presently, we need to collect $5,940.00 additional dollars in donations in order to reach the $16,000.00 (revised amount from the bid) that needs to be donated to the Town of Wallingford to cover the costs of the fireworks. On May 5th, the Town Council moved funding in the budget to cover the town's overtime costs for the event (see Wallingford Town Council votes to raise mayor salary; cover overtime costs for fireworks show). So long as there are no issues approving the budget, this will stand.

If you’d like to support us by attending the Paint Night for Charity, that would be Wednesday, May 20 at 7:00PM to 9:00PM Jakes Tavern LLC. The full details can be found via this link.

If you’d like to sponsor us via an ad in the WALLINGFORD FIREWORKS FUND 2015 Program Guide you can by getting the details here.

If you’d like to donate via Paypal, you can via the link on this page.

Lastly, if you’d like to mail us your donation, those details are:

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


Thank you for all your past support and for your consideration in 2015 - now let's get this done.

Four weeks remain - $8,000.00 to go

Today is Saturday May 2nd and we will be collecting at the North Colony Dunkin Donuts (near Shop Rite) until about noon.

We have about four weeks remaining as the funds are due to the town on the final Friday of the month – May 29th.

I’ve had a number of past donors asking about the muddiness surrounding the event; I believe a few of them are holding back on donations pending the town deciding to pay for the town services. (In a couple of cases I know for sure – they told me so directly.)

Please don’t. When you support other causes, you don’t wait to see if goals are going to be met or conditions occur; if you support the cause, you support it. You wouldn’t hold back your support from Masters Manna (for example) on whether or not they were going to move locations or not (in most cases) – if you support their cause, you donate. You wouldn’t hold back your support of something at one of the Elementary Schools pending the replacement of someone in the administration there; if you support the school and the kids you donate. I could go on with the Dog Park, Boy Scouts, whatever.

What I CAN tell you is that if we do not reach the $16,500 goal this year, the show will MOST CERTAINLY not occur as there would be too little money to pay for the pyrotechnics (the fireworks).

If the town should decide to NOT pay for the town services that does not necessarily mean the show is completely dead in the water. The Fund would look to other, private property locations from which to host the event.

We are not that far along yet.

We raise the funds – with your help.

The town pays for the town services and overtime – pending an affirmative Town Council vote.

The show is held on the west side of town as it has been since the 1970s.

That’s “PLAN A”; if we need to go to PLAN B that happens no sooner than the Council vote on the budget.

In the meantime – the seven of us are collecting donations.

If you can swing by this morning – please come and see us.

If you’d like to support us by attending the Paint Night for Charity, that would be Wednesday, May 20 at 7:00PM to 9:00PM Jakes Tavern LLC. The full details can be found via this link.

If you’d like to sponsor us via an ad in the WALLINGFORD FIREWORKS FUND 2015 Program Guide you can by getting the details here.

If you’d like to donate via Paypal, you can via the link on this page.

Lastly, if you’d like to mail us your donation, those details are:

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

At the end of the day, this is all up to you. With all the times it is said, “it really sucks not having the control to affect [TOPIC]”, that couldn’t be more untrue here. You donate, you push your elected officials to do the right thing and restore the town services for the celebration of the birth of the nation, and you get it done, as you have, since 2010.

Thank you for all your past support and for your consideration in 2015