Kingston fireworks show funds are fizzling

KINGSTON — It’s the last week before the pyrotechnics fly in the sky in the Little City By the Sea — or will they?

Funds for the Kingston Fourth of July fireworks show are $5,000 short of the $12,000 needed for this year, said Kingston Thriftway General Manager Jim Raymond, who is spearheading the fund-raising efforts.

Raising money for this year’s Fourth of July fireworks has been a little tricky, but Bob Lee of the Kingston Kiwanis said he thinks enough money will be collected to meet the required cost by the holiday — the effort just needs a little more rocket fuel.

To help meet the goal, the community service group and Kingston Thriftway will be holding a pancake breakfast from 9 a.m. to noon, this Saturday, June 28 at the Northwest Labor Training Camp on Ohio Avenue in Kingston.

While nearly $500 was raised at a pancake breakfast last month, the group organizing the fireworks fund-raising efforts is hoping this breakfast will help meet the financial goal. Last year, a similar breakfast that took place right before the holiday brought in $2,000, Lee said.

“We’re hoping to make at least that much again this year,” Raymond added. “We’d like to make about ($3,000).”

Pancakes, juice and coffee will be available in exchange for donations, Lee said. Fourth of July hats, shirts and Kingston Kiwanis holiday buttons will also be available for donations. While the money hasn’t been counted from the buttons that are being sold around town, Raymond said the ones at his store have been flying off the shelves.

“There is a national sentiment to the cause and the rally around our troops and such,” Raymond speculated on the fire-hot pins. “That part has been quite successful.”

The usual support from local businesses is slowly coming in, Lee said, but he isn’t too worried.

“We need the final push to get us over,” Lee said. “But I think we’re going to make it.”

Raymond said although there is some last-minute panicking, he and others are confident the breakfast will help the funds come through. If not, he said, the group might try and squeeze in a car wash before the holiday.

Raymond also noted that North Kitsap Fire & Rescue will soon be making its donation from its fireworks incentive campaign. For every family that pledges not to use fireworks and attend a professional public display, firefighters are paying $5 out of their pockets.

At press time, $120 has been pledged so far, said Michéle Laboda, public information officer for NKF&R, noting that the families have also been pulling money out of their pockets to donate to the fireworks fund.

The department will be taking pledges through the holiday.

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