Local non-profit organizations look to cash in as ‘safe and sane’ fireworks sales begins

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SANTA MARIA, Calif. - The sale of "safe and sane fireworks" began Wednesdsay in a handful of Central Coast locations, including in Santa Maria.

Wednesday at noon marked the start of the one week period of time legal fireworks are able be sold at licensed booths through the Fourth of July.

"The team is very excited, so they're ready to go," said Thomas McGinnis with Academy Spartatroniks, which is set up in the Crossroads Center near Home Depot. "We're ready to sell. Everybody is ready to go and make this as successful as we possibly can. We expect to be busy straight though."

In Santa Maria, fireworks will be sold at various locations throughout the city by 27 local non-profits organizations, which use the sale of the holiday pyrotechnics as a major fundraiser.

For the organizations, the sale of fireworks can generate several thousands of dollars in profit, which for many, represents their biggest fundraiser of the year.

"I'm very excited. It brings in a lot of income for the team, about 25 percent of our annual income, so it is a really great way to make sure we have all of our of resources and really gets the word out about the team for the community," said Orcutt Academy Spartatroniks team member Brooke Brennema. "I'm incredibly grateful because with this fireworks booth we wouldn't be able to do half the stuff that we do because it requires a lot of money to run a robotics team. There's a lot of different equipment that you have to purchase and there are other costs that you wouldn't think about, and the fireworks booth is a really great way for us to bring money in."

Some organizations have been selling fireworks for many years, while others, such as the Santa Maria Valley Historical Society and Kiwanis Club of Santa Maria, who are teaming up at a location in Santa Maria Town Center West, this is their first ever experience.

"We saw a great opportunity for a fundraiser for both the Historical Society and Kiwanis and we thought it would be a great opportunity to do it," said Dave Cross with the Santa Maria Valley Historical Society. "It's our first time, and so we're excited about it. We think this will be a great fundraiser, at the same time, we're providing safe fireworks for families to enjoy the Fourth of July."

Cross added the allure of raising a lot more more in a short period of time makes this fundraiser especially appealing.

"This is one type of fundraiser where it's a lot of work, but it's all compressed into about week's worth of time, so it's not spread out over the long-term, so I think that's why it's a popular fundraiser, and plus, fireworks are very popular," said Cross. "You can make a lot of money with fireworks, and so, that's what we're hoping to do, along with all the other non-profits, to bring in some good funds for our organizations."

Customers who make a purchase at one of the booths will have to wait until Independence Day to light fireworks. Fireworks can only be used in Santa Maria on the Fourth of July from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Fireworks may only be sold by through the Fourth of July Sales at 11:00 p.m.

In addition to the Santa Maria, other Central Coast cities, including Lompoc, Arroyo Grande and Grover Beach as also beginning fireworks sales today.

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