Local fireworks fundraiser winner announced, continued donations sought

Over the past few months many of you noticed and contributed to the Firework Fund Spare Change drive. We could not be prouder of all the businesses and citizens who participated – especially in April when the Fourth of July seemed like months away.

The Spare Change Jars came about after some discussion of “who” should be responsible for financing the spectacle. In the past the Chamber of Commerce and more recently Karen Robinson have spearheaded donations from local businesses, select citizens, and requested assistance from the City’s Keno Fund. But it is not the businesses or the City who look up to the sky once a year but the citizens of Kimball and their guests. So the effort to raise the money needed to keep the tradition alive was refocused on Kimballites.

To encourage businesses to get their customers to participate, the Western Nebraska Observer generously donated $100 of advertising to the business who collected the most “change” from April to the end of May. The results of the spare change drive are:

VINCES CORNER

 $318.18 

HOMETOWN HARDWARE

 $198.07 

BEMIS DRUG

 $99.76 

SPORTSMAN’S LIQUOR

 $81.55

MAIN STREET MARKET

 $69.36 

WOODY’S LIQUOR

 $61.45 

LARSEN’S JEWELRY

 $45.88 

PHOENIX CONOCO

 $40.02 

FRANKS AUTO PARTS

 $ 31.17 

Kimball AUTO PARTS

 $16.54 

Total

 $956.98 

Congratulations Henry Heeg and crew at Vince’s Corner for winning the contest and the $100 in advertising from Western Nebraska Observer!

We are keeping the jars out until the Fourth of July and we still encourage people to chip in towards the cause. Imagine if every time someone bought a pop they put the change in - we would have the biggest show in the Panhandle!

Besides the spare change drive, we also hosted a Cow Pie Bingo contest which sold out of squares in just a few days. We want to thank everyone who bought into the fun. We are already throwing around ideas for other FUNdraisers for next year. If anyone would be interested in helping out next year, please contact Amy Sapp or Echo Kizzair at the Chamber of Commerce.

Kimball’s marvelous firework show has been a tradition for many years and will continue to be a staple in our community for years to come. Anyone wishing to donate directly can go to FirsTier Bank and ask that their gift be deposited into the Fireworks Fund. Any and every donation, big and small is appreciated.