C.O.C. decides not to host July 4th event
In light of the economic downturn, the Pike County Chamber of Commerce has decided not to host the county's Fourth of July fireworks this year.
The decision was made after the chamber board unanimously voted to not seek funding for the event from the county government, as a "fiscally-responsible" act. The chamber membership was also surveyed about the event.
The fireworks, which cost about $12,000, were privately-funded up until 2007; then Pike County paid for the fireworks. The total cost of the Fourth of July event was $20,000, and the chamber funded the balance with proceeds from parking and booth rental fees.
The fireworks, which cost about $12,000, were privately-funded up until 2007; then Pike County paid for the fireworks. The total cost of the Fourth of July event was $20,000, and the chamber funded the balance with proceeds from parking and booth rental fees.
We want to cry about our nation and its leadership then turn right around and forget the nations birthday and the celebration of our independance. Next year lets give it all up and start speaking the language of another government or country. There are plenty who would love to see us go down!
Money is not everything and there are some things worht paying for. How many Americans gave thier all? How many Americans are overseas wishing they could be here.
The PRIDE OF PIKE CELEBRATION is a way to keep our nations beliefs and heritage alive and I say we are foolish to let it die. If someone can find a way to keep this going I will be the first S*B to volunteer. Where is our pride? Fight to win or die trying do not just give up.
Ashamed citizen of cheap town usa!!!!!!!
I say shoot the fireworks, shoot them long and loud so that our enemies can see and hear them with their satilites passing over head. The hard things accomplished are what make this country great.
When did we let the government dictate how we choose to celebrate a holiday? You mention not buying Easter eggs, why? If the government tells you they will not sponsor an Easter egg hunt will you not celebrate Easter your own way? maybe have an Easter egg hunt in your yard, or better yet you and your neighbors form one.
No fireworks? No Celebrating our Independence? Are you kidding me?
There isn’t any doubt that times are hard. All we have to do is cut on the news, and gloom and doom is broadcast 24 hours a day – 7 days a week. Turn on the radio: Whenever they stop playing songs, the announcer is battering us with how bad things are, with how we’re living in fear and hopelessness. All we have to do is look at our neighbors and see them losing their homes to foreclosure. We all pray quietly that we won’t be next…
Next to lose our home. Next to lose our car. Next to lose our job. Next to lose a person that we love.
There is darkness everywhere.
That’s EXACTLY why we shouldn’t cancel the fireworks. That’s exactly why we need to celebrate our Nation’s Independence. That’s exactly why we need to go boldly into the night.
Fireworks. They are a reminder of a time when royalty tried to tax our people to death with an iron-fist from across the Atlantic. They are a reminder of the brave men and women who laid down their lives to fight for our Independence. They are a reminder of the men who signed their names on a piece of paper - even though many believed they were signing their own death warrants. They are a reminder of the soldiers that have died in days of old and in the most recent days of new. Some of those soldiers lived here in Pike County. Went to school here. Have families here. How can we dare insult their memory by not honoring their service?
Fireworks. They are reminders that we are a people that call ourselves Americans and we don’t all have to agree to get along. We come in many shapes. Many colors. Many sizes. We’re all unique. We’re all beautiful in our own special way - just like fireworks.
Fireworks. They are reminders that no matter how dark it gets outside, we can always look up to the heavens and see the light.
Fireworks. Beautiful and brilliant sparkles of erupting light, beacons of hope and freedom in the dark, dark night. If we don’t paint hope and freedom across the sky for all to see, who will? It’s who we are. It’s what we do.
I try to imagine George Washington telling his starved, half-naked, unpaid, barely hanging-on soldiers that we are just going to give up because the money isn’t there to fight the battle. That we won’t try. We won’t press on – we will just lie down and die. And, you know what? I just couldn’t see him ever saying something like that.
Now, I do understand why the Board of Commissioners and Chamber of Commerce doesn’t want to pay for it. They are trying to be fiscally responsible. I applaud their sound economic judgment, but at the same time I challenge all the people in our community to do what government was never designed to do: Take care of our own problems.
I’m willing to donate $500.00 or 10% (whichever is greater) from all new closings from now until July 4th to help cover the cost. My daughter said that she will cancel her birthday party on June 21st and donate the money for her cake and gifts for the fireworks. Even at seven years of age she understands what they mean. When I told her that they were going to be cancelled she said, “That just ain’t right!”
No, it ain’t right!
I challenge all citizens of Pike County to step up and make it happen.
Moms: Bake some cookies to sell.
Dads: Play a few rounds of golf at a dollar a hole.
Kids: Wash a few hundred cars.
Pastors: Pass that collection plate around for this country.
Businesses: Put up a plastic bowl and collect those pennies, nickels and dimes.
Realtors®: I challenge every other local real estate agent to step up and do something too. You beat that code-of-ethics drum like you’re sitting first chair in the percussion section of an orchestra. What does that code say? Underneath all is the land! The land. THE LAND.
This land. Right here. Right now. Help do something about it. We owe our livelihood to this land. Thousands upon thousands of brave men and women have died to give us the right to wake up every single day and sell houses ON THIS LAND. We should never allow this land and everything it stands for to not be celebrated.
Don’t let the lights go out in Pike County, Georgia. Not this year. Not on our watch.
The government does not dictate how you live your lives as much as all you people seem to want it to!!
Shoot a damn firework, or better yet organize your own fireworks show.
As of now I'm going on a diet and I'm going to quit smoking and I'm not going to drink anymore so I can out live all you cheap dirt road loving jerks that are trying to hold this county in the 50's there is a new age coming and we want things in this county like stores that sell more than BAIT or chicken wings I say shoot the fire works !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Coming from a person that can't even attach their name to a thought. Really nice...
Mr. & Mrs. Geiger: I love the web 2.0 direction you’re taking the site in! Good stuff.
To Comment 14: Yeah, we will all go to Griffin. It will be safer since they transferred some of their problems to Pike Teen Challenge Hill.
To Comment 17: Way too wordy!
~Thanks!
I really feel that the J-R is just trying to keep up with the CNN's out there. As a business owner in Pike, I am happy that the Chamber is focusing its resources towards improving an important part of our county...the businesses. We help the community in many ways, and the resources that the Chamber is conserving will help everyone in the short & long haul's.
Wow, I am not happy about the way the J-R said the the Chamber "Bailed" on the fireworks, and made someone else the hero. Honestly; WE should be ashamed! This is a community event! Have some pride, make a reason to be proud & help! Everyone in the community should volunteer to help, donate funds or, both. How's that thought sitting with you?