Anyone looking for some spark, sizzle, boom or flash for Independence Day, can head over to the Kiwanis fireworks stand at Ken’s Korner.
Fireworks bundles at the stand ranged from $1 to $200. Though, the stand has only one $200 package, which stood almost 4-feet tall.
The most popular package costs $80 and comes with an assortment of 20 shells, flashes and sparklers, and comes with a smaller bundle free.
“You’d be amazed what people buy,”said Kiwanis member Ron Myers.
The South Whidbey Kiwanis have sold fireworks to raise money for community organizations for 37 years. The stand is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Myers said community organizations like Helping Hands, Friends of Friends and others will receive funding again, if the stand’s sales go well.
“We used to support some community projects and we’re hoping to get back into those,” Myers said.
So far, sales are OK at $3,500 since the stand opened on June 28. The Kiwanis members expect to raise between $35,00 and $36,000.
“We’ll sell more than half our stuff on the second and third [of July],” Myers said.
One member working the stand, Gena Kraha, blamed the weather for slow sales.
“Rainy weather led to a slow start,” Kraha said.
Myers also said the average customer spends between $100 and $120 on fireworks at the stand, which also has a raffle for both the local stand, and national TNT stands. Raffle entries come with any purchase, and entrants can win the “American Pride” fireworks bundle from the local stand, and a Chevrolet Silverado from the national raffle.
Some of the funds from the Kiwanis stand goes toward scholarships for Bayview and South Whidbey. The South Whidbey Kiwanis recently celebrated their 40th anniversary. Myers said the group raised more than $420,000 in its 40 years. The food stand Kiwanis members operate at South Whidbey raised $40,000 that goes back to the high school. They also help fund Children’s Day in the Park and Hobie Scholarships.
Still, most of the fundraising the Kiwanis do every year comes from the fireworks stand.
“This is our biggest fundraiser of the year,” Myers said.
The stand accepts cash, checks, Mastercard and Visa.
“We’ll make it convenient,” Kraha said.
The stand will close on July 5.
