Tight finances force Lions to cancel fireworks show

SUNNYSIDE, Wash. -- There will be no Fourth of July fireworks in Sunnyside on Saturday.

The community, evidently, can't afford them.

Lions Club volunteers, who have hosted a commercial fireworks display for 15 years at the Sunnyside High School football stadium, received virtually no donations and the city government decided not to contribute this year.

The volunteers hope to bring it back next year when the economy improves -- or when residents feel more generous.

"This will be a wake-up call to a lot of people who have always expected it," said Carol Stone, a Lions member.

The free festival attracts about 150 to 200 attendees, Stone said, but many more watch from nearby parks or homes. It started about the time that Sunnyside, a city of 15,000 residents, began banning personal fireworks.

Three things happened to snuff out the fireworks this year, said Stone, also a city councilwoman:

* The city of Sunnyside did not contribute. The city has donated up to $4,000 to the commercial display since 2006. In 2008 at least, the city used money from its state hotel-motel tax distributions, which must be spent on tourism related activities. City officials decided this year that fireworks don't count, Stone said.

The city's general budget is already lean. Over the past year, the city has shuttered its community center, ceased recreation activities and even eliminated two police officer positions.

* Few, if any, businesses and people donated, Stone said. When Lions Club volunteers learned about the lack of city funds, they did not put out donation jars at area merchants. They solicited donations at businesses, but received no support, Stone said.

* Volunteer ranks are thinning. Stone said there are only about eight active Lions Club members and some could not participate in events because of illnesses or other commitments.

Stone said the Lions pay about $6,000 for a 20-minute display, buying as many fireworks as they could afford each year. They usually book the commercial display in April with a down payment, but they couldn't afford that this year.

Last month, they finally announced the decision to skip the 2009 display.

"We were still hoping for a miracle but the miracle didn't happen," Stone said.

The neighboring cities of Grandview and Granger allow limited personal fireworks. Granger hosts a public display at 10:30 p.m. in Hisey Park.