Update: Microsoft and Starbucks have donated $125,000 each.
Earlier: As the realization started sinking in that Seattle’s only 4th of July fireworks show has been canceled, some local celebrities and businesses are donating money to save the annual tradition. On the Dave Ross show this morning, restaurateur Tom Douglas started the campaign to save the fireworks show by announcing he will donate $5,000. Dave Ross followed suit by donating some of his own money. The list of donations keeps growing, with the ultimate goal of raising $500,000 by Monday, April 5th.
To make a pledge of a minimum of $1,000, corporate or individual, go to MyNorthwest.com/fireworks or e-mail savethe4th@mynorthwest.com. If the funds needed to save the 2010 fireworks show can be raised in the allotted time, then the pledges will be collected upon and sent to One Reel.
One Reel marketing and communications director Mikhael Williams talked with our sister site My Wallingford this morning about Ross’s plan. “We would be so excited and thrilled if we could pull this off this year, but has to happen very quickly,” Williams says, “From our perspective, the window was closed on a title sponsorship because of the traditional expectations and benefits that they receive. If there are people in the community who want to rally around the event, who don’t have the traditional expectations of sponsorship, we would happily put this on.”
(Full disclosure: Next Door Media, which powers MyBallard.com, has donated to save the fireworks show.)
This is great. Go baby go!
And to think you used to have to pick between two in Seattle. Now you have to pick between Tacoma and Everett.
i know i am going to draw fire here…. but this is such a waste of donations…. $500k for 25 minutes of fireworks? your fourth of july just can't be the same with out it?
would love to see that go do something worthwhile.
Like what, bums?
thanks for the intelligent and thoughtful reply.
there are 100's of things it could be, but things that could help research, save lives, feed people, give shelter all rank higher than 25 minutes of explosions for me.
there's always someone like gooner who says, “WHY DON'T THEY SPEND MONEY ON SOMETHING I CARE ABOUT…LIKE FLYING KITES…WHO WILL SPEAK FOR THE KITES?!”
just ignore.
That right there is why you are in charge of your money and other folks are in charge of theirs. I can choose to donate to non profits that support fireworks, churches, social services. You can choose to support animal shelters, cancer research, whatever are your passions.
Thank you Seattle Bank for contributing $10k- it means a lot that there a still local companies that care!!
Microsoft and Starbucks just pledged $125k each (or match 50% spit between the two of them)
As of now, they need to raise $134k more to make it to $500k
It's private money, they can spend it the way they like. Can I tell you how to spend your money?
Miserable geezer, you must be a real joy on Christmas morning.
I just donated $20….anything to bother geezers like gooner.
Despite the horrible night that my dog (and therefore I) will have if there are fireworks, I wish them well. This is awesome.
Wow, a half a million bucks doesn't buy you much anymore.
I agree with gooner–this is a big, fat waste of money.
also, $125k is chump change for microsoft. not impressed at all.
goooner and diahrea boy go away, thamks to all the buisnesses for keeping a free summer event free!!!
learn to spell, name.
so glad you celebrate your lame country's independance by buying a bunch of stuff from China and exploding it. Seems only appropriate since they own this country now.
are you one of the people that gets in a hissy fit when I blow up garbage cans around here? haha.
There are always people that want to turn a positive into a negative. I think this is great! I love the Fourth, love fireworks and love that Seattle is pulling together to keep a fun and free celebration alive!
Go back to Russia, diahrea boy!
can't stand ya