Donations keep Newberry fireworks show alive

Multiple individual and business donors vowed Monday night at the City of Newberry's commission meeting to chip in to support the city’s Labor Day fireworks show, helping to pay for the annual event sponsored and organized by Rocky Volgio, owner of Newberry Backyard BBQ.

Last year, the city donated $2,500, and Volgio came to the commission meeting Monday asking for the city to match last year’s donation to help reduce the total event cost of $10,000.

However, the consensus of the commission was that in a tight budget year, $2,500 was too steep a price.

With the city hesitant to pay the entire $2,500, individual donors stepped up to make close the gap.

Commissioner Joe Hoffman agreed to donate $200, and Newberry resident Lee Gates quickly agreed to match the donation. Fellow Commission Bill Conrad and City Manager Keith Ashby each agreed to pay $100.  Daba Design Works, Newberry Main Street Organization, Folds and Walker Attorneys at Law and Paul Stressing Associates Inc. all agreed to chip in $250 each.

After a number of individual donations, the city agreed to $500 – pushing the total to $2,100.

Before the city approved its donation, Hoffman joked about the telethon-like atmosphere that had surfaced at the meeting.

“I think we ought to just keep on talking. We seem to be gaining momentum here. We ought to have a call-in or hotline,” he said.

A few Newberry residents spoke at the meeting about how important the event is to the community.

Newberry resident Police Sgt. Jayson Levy of the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, said keeping the event alive was important to bring people together and lift the town’s spirits.  He said the event always gets a big turnout and is one of the few local events that everyone can be a part of.

Joy Glanzer, a member of the Newberry Chamber of Commerce, agreed.

“You can’t put a price on goodwill,” Glanzer said.

Conrad said he was glad the event would continue and happy to have the partnership with Volgio in a time when many cities have had to close down fireworks shows.

The event is scheduled for Sept. 5 at dusk.