SEATTLE—
Just when it looked like the skies would be dark this 4th of July, the people of Seattle followed the lead of corporate giants like Microsoft, Starbucks, Vulcan and Nordstrom to raise enough money to put on a fireworks show over Seattle's Lake Union.Organizers of an effort to save the city's only remaining fireworks show reached their goal this morning: $500,000 to put on a fireworks show. And they did it -- with lots of help from the public -- in less than 24 hours.
The show is one of the biggest fireworks shows in the country. It draws around 50,000 revelers to Gas Works Park and 200,000 fans both on and around Lake Union.
One Reel, a non-profit organization, puts on the show. But on Wednesday a it said it couldn't find anyone willing to shell out the $500,000 needed to cover the costs of the show.
The fundraising effort started Thursday morning when Seattle restaurant owner Tom Douglas went on the radio asking the community to rally around the show. He started the pledge drive with a $5,000 check.
"It's civic pride, it's like losing the Mariners or the Sonics or the Seahawks, it's a civic pride thing," Douglas explained.
By Thursday afternoon, Starbucks and Microsoft announced they would contribute $125,000 each to try and save the fireworks show at Gas Works Park.
Nordstrom pledged $25,000 and Paul Allen's company Vulcan added $50,000 to the total, bringing them closer to making the show a reality.
Smaller donations of $1,000 - $5,000 came from dozens of local businesses.
By Friday morning, Q13 FOX News This Morning was reporting the fundraising effort was gaining even more steam thanks to private donations from people living in Seattle and beyond. Before the show was over, One Reel confirmed the goal had been met.
At one time, Seattle's fireworks show was named by Forbes Travel Magazine and Time Magazine as one of the top Independence Day fireworks displays in the country.
For several years, Washington Mutual sponsored the event, after they were taken over by Chase in late 2008, they agreed to sponsor the event, but made it clear it was a one-time deal.
For the past 15 months, One Reel worked to secure a title sponsor for the 2010 Family 4th at Lake Union, but was not able to find a supporter in time to produce the event this year.
"Deciding not to move forward with this year's Family 4th at Lake Union was incredibly difficult," stated One Reel CEO Toni Aspin on Wednesday. "But without the financial support of a community sponsor, the event is not possible."
Now, thanks to the entire community and donors large and small, it will happen.
Be the first to know. Sign up for Q13 FOX Mobile and E-mail Alerts.
