Wallingford Town Council Meeting and agenda item regarding the 2015 Independence Day Celebration

The portion of the Council meeting that is applicable to the Wallingford Fireworks Fund begins at 19:20 if you don’t want to sit through the entire meeting.

Here are the nuts and bolts – at this point there is no hard and fast decision rendered by the town.

We will fundraise this year with the intention to have the Town of Wallingford host the show on the school grounds, where they have been for decades, through a donation from the fund, as it has been done since 2010.

The Fund is not planning to raise more than the actual cost of the fireworks themselves for 2015. Traditionally this has been about $12,000.00 and we are estimating $15,000.00 this year. We would expect the Town of Wallingford to front the costs of the city services.

If the Town of Wallingford chooses at budget time to not fund enough overtime into the budgets of Police, Fire, Public Works, and the Board of Education janitorial staff then the show will not take place as a function of a donation by the fund to the Town.

At that time, we will look for other possible locations in Wallingford to privately host the show ourselves.

We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it – after the budget has been voted on and then signed (or vetoed) by Mayor Dickinson.

As an aside and as part of the discussion, in order to host the event, be it by a donation to the Town of Wallingford proper or by the Fund doing it on its own, the event will likely NOT be held on July 4th. The more likely date at this time is one week later on July 11th.

Please take the time to watch the video and take in all of the discussion – it answers a lot of questions but in the event you still have more please feel free to reach out to me directly at Jason@Zandri.net

Fundraising for “The Fund” Saturday June 14th and Sunday June 15th at Wallingford Stop and Shop

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 5^TH

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

For the 5th year running, Wallingford saves her 4th of July Independence Day celebration.

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 4^th 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/

See you on the grounds of Sheehan High School and at your Wallingford Fireworks celebration; 237 years of independence. Happy Birthday America.

.

Campus at Greenhill 2013 Wallingford Fireworks Independence Day Celebration; gathering on the west side of town at Sheehan High School after 6PM, Saturday July 6.

I probably will not have a whole bunch of posts or updates today as we did last year when the weather looked a little iffy there for a while.

According to the latest updates there’s barely a threat of any rain.

The show starts around 9:20PM or so but I recommend getting there around 8PM for a good parking spot as well as a good place on Sheehan’s Front Lawn if you’re looking to take in the sounds of the R Band which should start playing a little after 8PM.

We will make a few quick announcements from the Wallingford ShowMobile and then go around the grounds passing out the 2013 program books as well as collecting donations for the 2014 show.

See you there.

Letter to the editor today in the Record Journal regarding Independence Day

Letter to the editor today Friday June 22, 2012, in the Record Journal

July 4th

Editor: So many soldiers living on the street, their spirits broken with defeat. What must they think when they look around, with every passerby looking at the ground? Does anger fill them when we turn away, from debts we owe that should be repaid? What if at that moment, just once, instead we salute in honor, right hand to head, to let them know they are not a ghost, thanking them for being braver then most. If everyone would show them grace, we just might find their pain erased, for all the heroes still fighting to live and from heroes like you who continue to give. If you see someone who is really lost, please stop and remember what our freedom has cost.

Remember, as we have our cookouts and picnics, why we have this special day — it is called Independence Day!

Thank a veteran and all service men and women for their service to keep us free.

DEB BELANCIK, MERIDEN