Fireworks fundraiser under way for Kimball

It is nearly time to celebrate our nation’s independence.

For more than a couple of decades the Kimball Volunteer Fire Department has put on a spectacular fireworks display with donations collected from local businesses, as well as from private donors, and due largely to many hours of work done by the Kimball Banner County Chamber office rallying for those donations.

This year there is a needed rush for donations for the annual fireworks display event. According to KBCCC Director, Jo Caskey, the ‘ball was dropped’ on securing the funds ahead of time.

Caskey said that although the local chamber has been greatly involved in the past, that she informed the Kimball Volunteer Fire Department in February of 2015, that it would be the chamber’s last year of volunteer time on procuring funds for the Fourth of July event.

She added that because her hours at the Chamber are limited to twenty hours per week and wouldn’t allow for so much time dedicated to fundraising.

“Right now, Karen Robinson is doing some fund raising to come up with the money for the fireworks for this year and the Kimball Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary is helping her with this,” Caskey said. “The chamber is more focused on businesses. We are trying to take the Chamber to the next level. A chamber is about promoting our businesses, doing things that will benefit the membership and the community. And yes, it is nice to have fireworks on the Fourth of July, but it’s not the primary function of a chamber. The board feels that this is not part of a chamber function. We are trying to outgrow the coloring contests, poetry contests, yard of the week or that kind of thing.”

While these small-town contests have long been a Chamber activity, KBCCC is now focused solely on growing Kimball’s business community.

“We are going to be working on a ‘Shop Local’ campaign,” Caskey said. “We are trying to do things to make people realize that if you don’t support your retail community - pretty soon your retail community is not going to be there.”

To make a business or personal donation to the fireworks display for this year, please stop by Larsen’s Jewelry Store and speak to either Karen or Greg Robinson, or you may also contact any KVFD Auxiliary member.