Brandon Twp.- What kind of show will light up the sky on July 3 depends entirely upon the donations of area residents and businesses.
The Ortonville Area Chamber of Commerce has been seeking donations from the community to pay for the July 3 show since township officials cut the $5,000 usually given for fireworks from the budget. As of last week, the fireworks committee, headed by Jessica Arundel, had received about $2,000 in committed donations from businesses and another $500 donated by the Ortonville Lions Club. Added to the $850 already in the fireworks fund, the chamber is still shy of the minimum $5,000 needed just to have a fireworks show and well short of the $8,000 needed to have the fireworks display the community is accustomed to.
‘The more money, the better the show,? says Arundel. ‘If we want to keep what we have, we need to come up with all of it ourselves. We need to make sure businesses are involved, especially the ones on the M-15 corridor that benefit.?
Susan Reddy, Chamber of Commerce president, says the group must sign a contract with Wolverine Fireworks by June 1 and the money for the show must be collected by June 15. For $5,000, the show will last 20 minutes. A 40-minute show, the usual length, will be $8,000.
‘If every resident gave one dollar, we’d have great fireworks,? says Reddy. ‘The public needs to support the fireworks so the parties can continue.?
The Chamber is having a silent auction for a Detroit Pistons basketball jersey signed by forward Tayshaun Prince. Accompanied by a letter of authenticity, the jersey currently had a high bid of $250 at press time. The Chamber is also auctioning a basketball signed by the 2006-2007 Detroit Pistons team. The high bid on the ball is currently $500.
For more information on donating for the fireworks display or to make a bid on an auction item, call (248) 627-8079.