Residents Needed for Sturtevant Fireworks Fun

Here's the hard truth: Once the "oohs" and "aaahs" from this year's fireworks die down, Sturtevant and area residents who regularly attend this family-friendly party may not be able to look forward to a celebration next year.

The Sturtevant Fireworks Committee is meeting its budget and timeline benchmarks, said Linda Busha, head of the committee, but they need volunteers to help fill in the blanks.

"We're meeting our schedule," she said. "But we need people to volunteer their time to help make this happen."

Volunteers don't need to sign up for the whole day, but a couple of hours can make the difference, especially with set up and clean up, said committee member Sean Waiss.

"We're doing this all ourselves and it's getting difficult," he acknowledged. 

This is the fourth year the village has hosted the fireworks using a citizen's committee instead of making the event part of the annual village budget.

"It was a hard decision to take the fireworks off the budget," Village President Steve  Jansen acknowledged. "But Linda and her crew do an awesome job and I have faith our residents will come through again."

Melrose Pyrotechnics is providing the fireworks, which accounts for two-thirds of the budget. Add in live entertainment, rented bouncy houses for the kids and other odds-and-ends and the total budget comes to about $15,000, all of which must be provided by donations.

Busha said area companies like Educator's Credit Union, SC Johnson, Bombardier, and Ruud Lighting have given generous donations, but more is needed. To help meet their fundraising goal, committee members will deliver canisters to area businesses so customers can throw in their change or a dollar here and there.

Still, it's getting more difficult to raise the necessary cash and to recruit volunteers to plan the event.

"We'll see how it goes, but people are getting a little burned out," Busha said. "And it gets hard to keep asking the same companies to donate year after year."

To donate money for the fireworks and/or to volunteer, call Village Hall at (262) 886-7200.

If You Go:

What: Sturtevant Fireworks
When: 3 to 11:30 pm Sun., July 3
Where: Firemen's Park, Charles Street between 90th and Wisconsin Streets
Live Music Lineup:

• Racine Unified Show Band - 3 to 4 pm 
• TBD - 5 to 6:30 pm
• Final Approach - 7:30 to 9 pm & 10 to 11:30 pm

Editor's Note: A previous version of this story listed the Navy Band performing from 5 to 6:30 pm. They have had to cancel their appearance because of a scheduling conflict, and Fireworks Committee members are actively looking for a replacement.