Despite setbacks, rising costs, July 4 fireworks are a 'go' in Kewanee

The Kewanee Chamber of Commerce will hold its Fourth of July fireworks display, despite losing a major source of funding for the event.

Mark Mikenas, the chamber’s executive director, told the City Council Monday that previous fireworks displays have been paid for with contributions from local businesses and recycling aluminum cans.

This year, Mikenas said, the chamber is still receiving donations from businesses and organizations, but the can collection isn’t being made.

That’s because the can crusher that had been used to process the cans is broken beyond repair. A new unit would cost $55,000, Mikenas said, and a reconditioned one wouldn’t cost much less.

Coupled with the loss of the recycling revenue is an anticipated 30 percent increase in the cost of the fireworks this year.

Mikenas found other sources of revenue.

He set up a GoFundMe page online, and a Kewaneeean threw a Pampered Chef party and donated the proceeds to the fireworks fund.

Petersen Health Care made a “major donation,” Mikenas said, and Save A Lot is donating the proceeds of a “round it up” fund-raising effort.

Donation cans have been placed at local businesses, and Breedlove’s donated T-shirts that the chamber is selling.

At noon Saturday the Wanee Theater will show a children’s movie, collecting donations for admission and giving that money for the fireworks. Theater owner Bud Johnson will also donate a dollar from each bucket of popcorn sold that day.

Mikenas said his goal is to raise $12,500, which would amount to $1 per Kewanee resident.

“We’re going to hit that with no problem,” he said.

The fireworks display will begin at dark Monday at Northeast Park. Prior to the display, the local rock band Glory Days Garage Band will play in the east end of the park.

Mikenas also reported that first-quarter revenue from sales taxes in Kewanee was up two percent this year over the comparable period in 2019.