Published: June 28, 2008 12:01 am            

Local groups, including a fire department, use fireworks sales to help fill up their coffers

As Fourth of July approaches, some groups are taking an opportunity to make a bang in their fundraising with fireworks sales.

For the sixth year, Breckinridge fireworks stand opened Friday, with proceeds benefiting Breckinridge Fire Department.

Firefighter and EMT Sheri Nickel said sales are used to compensate for the department’s expenses not covered by a quarter-percent sales tax.

“We just try to get as much as we can every year,” Nickel said. “We use that money to compensate.”

The stand is sponsored by Public Safety Association, which works with Rudy’s Fireworks LLC.

“Everyone has their thing they do every year to raise extra money,” Nickel said. “This is ours.”

She said the stand will be open 9 a.m. to 10 or 11 p.m. daily, with later hours closer toward the holiday. The stand accepts cash and checks only. The stand is eight miles east of North Enid on Breckinridge Road.

“More toward the Fourth, we’ll stay open if we have customers,” she said.

Nickel said during the past five years, the stand has raised “well over $10,000.”

“We try to urge the safe use of fireworks,” she said. “ We always try to tell everyone to be safe and responsible.”

For several years, members of World Harvest Church have been selling fireworks near Willow and Garland to raise funds for the church’s youth group.

“It’s our big money-maker of the year,” said youth pastor Steven Marvicksin.

He said the group receives 20 percent of its sales, which is used to send about 40 kids to a summer youth camp in Oklahoma City.

The stand is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday. Marvicksin said the stand will remain open long closer to the holiday: “Just as long as there are customers.”

He said last year, the stand raised about $6,000 for the youth group.

Stephanie Lewis and Robyn Roberts are selling fireworks this year to raise money for their children’s sporting groups.

The women said their goal was to raise enough money to “off set” the costs of competitions.

The women, along with Tamara Leon and Joscilyn Coleman, will receive about 20 percent of the profits from this year’s sales at their stand beneath a circus tent at Imo and U.S. 412.

“Last year, we ran out of stuff on the third,” Lewis said.

The stand is open weekdays noon to 10 p.m. and weekends 8 a.m. to midnight.

Lewis said the stand will be open the Fourth of July 8 a.m. until customers stop coming and will have the same hours July 5.