LETTER: Celebrates Foundation staging township’s July 4 celebration
For the second year in a row, the all-volunteer, non-profit Medford Celebrates Foundation is staging Medford Township’s Independence Day Celebration and Fireworks Display on June 29.
An important change this year is the date, time and length of the event: Saturday, June 29, with a 2 p.m. start time.
In previous years, the fireworks were held in the evening on July 3.
We made this change in order to provide a bigger, all-day, family-oriented event featuring children’s entertainment (starting at 2 p.m.), a Kid’s Activity Zone, a ceremony honoring our military veterans (6 p.m.), an expanded food court, extended beer garden hours and many other additional attractions.
Medford Celebrates is able to stage this event due only to the generosity of our sponsors (see medfordcelebrates.org/fireworks/sponsors), private donors, and the help and support we receive from our community and South Jersey residents.
Medford Celebrates operates specifically to raise funds to support the Medford events that require municipal services.
These events bring crowds and positive attention to Medford, as well as revenues to the businesses that serve those who visit.
Equally important, attending an event like the fireworks becomes part of many families’ annual traditions.
Medford Celebrates was founded in 2011 after the municipal funding for traditional Medford community events became unavailable, which resulted in the fireworks not being held in 2010 or 2011.
Last year, we successfully reinstated the fireworks, and this year the fireworks will go on as planned.
We understand that some Medford residents believe that tax revenues are used to pay the expenses associated with hosting the fireworks.
We want to clarify that the fireworks are not funded by tax dollars.
Medford Celebrates raises all of its revenues from tax-deductible contributions, sponsors and fundraisers.
We then make a grant to Medford Township that covers all the expenses that the township incurs for the event.
We understand residents feel differently about funding the fireworks and other community events — some feel tax dollars should cover the expenses, some feel otherwise.
The reality is, across the nation, events like ours are not being funded by tax revenues.
For example, the fireworks at McGuire/Dix/Lakehurst have been cancelled this year due to funding shortfalls.
As a result, these types of events can continue only through the hard work and donations of the public and generous sponsors.
Hosting an event of this size for tens of thousands of Medford and South Jersey residents takes a team of people and, frankly, our team can use a few more players!
The tasks that must be completed before and on June 29 are too many to be carried out by the Medford Celebrates Trustees alone.
We are asking our friends and neighbors — and our neighboring towns’ residents — to help with a variety of light tasks on June 29.
In exchange, volunteers will secure a fantastic fireworks viewing spot, good parking, a t-shirt and a food and drink voucher.
Those who may be interested can find out more about us and volunteering by visiting www.medfordcelebrates.org, emailing volunteers@medfordcelebrates.org or calling Dottie Spellman at (609) 654–0563.
You may also contact me at info@medfordcelebrates.org, or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/medfordnjcelebrates.
We want the fireworks and other renowned Medford events to continue, so we keep working — but we need help.
If you can assist us, please volunteer your time, make a donation and support our sponsors.
Please don’t assume this event or others will always just “happen” — without volunteers, sponsors or public support. They simply will not.
Robert T. Egan, President
Medford Celebrates Foundation, Inc.
