Another fundraising season for the Wallingford Fireworks Fund has ended with Jason Zandri and the Wallingford Fireworks Fund fundraising team saving our event for another 4th of July Independence Day celebration.
Despite all the headwinds encountered from the administration – from the original cancellation of a decades-old tradition without basis (as we have a rainy day fund in the millions which draws interest earnings in less than half a year to pay for the event) to the continued refusal year after year to restore the event, they persevere. This is despite what the people want; as shown by their willingness to get behind Zandri and The Fund to restore the event each year – this year with enough donations to secure the performance and associated costs of the R Band. Despite The Fund approaching Mayor William Dickinson Jr.’s administration each year and asking for them to at least partner with The Fund on the costs of the town services they are turned down with Mayor Dickinson steadfastly indicating “the funds are not available.”
The Fund tackles the fundraising for every single related cost of the event each year, and for four years running with the support of the residents and Wallingford businesses and corporations they’ve been successful. Celebrate Wallingford, Seasons of Celebration, Holiday Stroll, the Farmer’s Market and other events are all covered by the town either directly or through the funding of Wallingford Center Inc. (WCI is funded directly from the town at budget time).
None of these events (save Celebrate) draw more people than the fireworks and yet that event was the only one cut due to this supposed total lack of available funding. The people have spoken for four years now – the thing is, they are not being listened to.
Robert Olesen
Wallingford