It seems like a number of towns and people have some kind of fireworks story. Not the ones about accidents, like someone losing an arm or some other dangerous consequence of working with explosives, but rather tales of good intentions gone south.
One example that comes to mind to this author is the story of a great grandfather whose first civic project as founder and president of the Santa Barbara Club was to sponsor the annual Fourth of July fireworks in 1893.
There was no problem raising the funds, but the first round of rockets proceeded to send shock and awe to a startled herd of cattle a few miles down the road. There were no cow fatalities, but the rancher claimed damages of poor milk production caused by the fireworks.
In the case of Chestertown, only a few years ago, the location of where the fireworks would be launched became center stage–with questions of motives and character thrown around–as if there was full scale corruption involved by all.
And now it is Rock Hall’s turn to experience first hand how good intentions can very quickly get blurred.
In Rock Hall’s case, a group of volunteers have been raising funds for 20 years to ensure that Rock Hall’s legendary fourth of July fireworks continue annually. And by all accounts, they have done a spectacular job in raising the amounts needed for a first rate display.
In the world of modern transparency for government and nonprofit organizations, this is an informal process, created with the best of intentions in terms of philanthropy and efficiency, but in Rock Hall citizens and donors have raised red flags. In short, the days of simple transactions based on trust and good faith are increasingly being replaced with the need to have an “open book” policy.
It would be easy for anyone involved in the thankless task of raising significant sums to recoil with indignation at the hint that their motives might be less than pure. With two decades of donating over $300,000 for the fireworks after expenses, the insinuation of malfeasance must surely sting volunteers who have committed so much significant time and effort to help Rock Hall.
Nevertheless, questions about accounting are reasonable ones for the Rock Hall Fireworks Committee to answer. Regardless of the volunteer committee’s laudable public service, like it or not, we live in an age of significant skepticism and cynicism about how organizations and governments use their funds in the name of the public good.
In short, donors increasingly want to know where their money is going. While it might be self-evident to the volunteers with the Rock Hall Fireworks Committee, we now live in a culture that requires more accountability.
However disconcerting it might be for the Rock Hall Fireworks Committee to document their transactions over the past few years, in the long run it can only be viewed as a constructive act to quickly reassure donors and the community that transparency is a key value and a legal requirement in their truly admirable work.
Art Willis says
Editor,
Our small group has graciously produced a fireworks show for twenty years, not only for the people of Rock Hall, but also for Kent County. When you pull back the curtain, The Rock Hall 4th of July Fireworks Committee is no more that the Sailing Emporium employees and owners giving something special back to the community. The show has evolved with larger and more intricate fireworks, music, and a full 32 minutes of visual excitement over one of the best theaters you an imagine- Rock Hall Harbor. It is not an easy event to produce, the risks and responsibilities are great, and the rewards are few. For the twenty shows that we have produced, our business has funded the bulk of the production costs. The average number of man hours documented by our business, per show is 500, paid out of our business, not reimbursed, not written off to charity. This involves updating a 4000 name mailing list every year, producing an appeal letter, licking and sticking 4000 envelopes, and getting this all done in a relatively narrow window of time between April 15 and July 3rd, in hopes of collecting $20,000 to shoot a show, another $15,000 to cover the basic costs of mailing, marketing, Navy Band transportation, sound barge, sound technician, etc…
There has always money left over to donate to the Rock Hall Volunteer Fire Company, thanks to the generosity of many people and businesses. The importance of this money to the RHVFC cannot be overstated. Our time and input to this effort is documented. It is disheartening to realize that such a philanthropic cause can become so politicized as to destroy the intent and efforts of those who reinvent it every year. It is just a home town of celebration family, community, and country. An entire generation of young Americans has grown up knowing the Rock Hall 4th of July Fireworks show. Businesses have thrived because of the show. The town and county have benefited tremendously from the tourist draw that the show brings.
Transparency and disclosure are a good thing in this day and age.