No Boom, No Rose!

One of the wonderful things that the Internet allows you to do is to keep up with the news from home while you are traveling. While we were away, I read in the Chapel Hill News that they gave the Town of Chapel Hill “Raspberries” for what they called a “shortsighted decision to do away with the July 4 celebration and fireworks show at Kenan Stadium this year.”  So unlike last year, no boom, no rose!

We happened to be in Indianapolis, Indiana for the 4^th and we had the pleasure of viewing two firework displays. The first followed a great baseball game at Victory Field where the Indianapolis Indians lost to the Toledo Mud Hens. As soon as the game ended, the field was covered and the launchers positioned to bring us a delightful display of good old time 4^th of July fireworks. The people in the sold-out stadium all seemed to remain in place to enjoy the celebration.

About the time that show ended, another one began in the downtown area. This display was the end of a series of events held downtown to celebrate the 4^th, and the fireworks launched from the roof of the Regions Bank were truly spectacular.  A local resident told us that the year before the celebration was close to being cancelled because of funding, but Regions Bank and others in the business community stepped up and made it happen.

When I read about the “Raspberries” given to the Town, I wondered why we seem to think that the Town is responsible for the fireworks display. Maybe the Chapel Hill News could sponsor the display, or bring other civic-minded businesses together to sponsor our fireworks. Other communities seem to make this happen as we witnessed in Indianapolis, so why not here.  I bet we would all give the sponsors a rose!