When a community works together…

Monday’s fireworks display in New Prague was truly a community-wide celebration. It is also a great example of people working together to make something happen for the good of the entire community.

It was just a month ago when it became general knowledge that New Prague-Ceska- Louisville Insurance, the primary sponsors of the event for the past four years, had decided that it could no longer handle the duties. The company had stepped up in a similar situation four years earlier, when the previous group that handled the celebration for decades had disbanded. When no one picked up the ball and ran with it, a story in The Times prompted NPCL to step up and contact RES Specialty Pyrotechnics, a local company that does fireworks shows worldwide. NPCL obtained the proper permits and insurance and RES put on a show that a month earlier was in doubt. The entire community was grateful that this tradition continued.

After NPCL decided they could no longer continue with this project, they put out feelers to try to find someone to take over, with little success.

Once the story ran in The Times, there was a lot of chatter on social media, people upset that this wasn’t happening. It also inspired a handful of people, most notably an 18-year-old National Guard member and the Commander of the local American Legion Post, to take action.

Once word of their efforts got out, things changed quickly and businesses began to write out checks to help cover the cost of the show, most notably Jeff Belzer’s, which agreed to pay the cost of the fireworks themselves. The general manager of RES Specialty Pyrotechnic agreed to add the show to its company’s calendar even at the late date, and things grew from there.

So kudos to the more than 20 sponsors of this week’s fireworks show. It provided a festive way to celebrate the nation’s independence and once again showed what can happen when community members work together.