By Anne Hershewe

news@joplinglobe.com

PITTSBURG, Kan. — In these days of economic turmoil, it’s easy to understand why the Pittsburg City Commission decided to forgo the expense of the annual July Fourth fireworks display.

It also is easy to relate to the disappointment on the part of Pittsburg residents, and to their apparent decision to try to raise the money needed to make sure the show would go on as usual.

Pittsburg residents and businesses had been donating to a fireworks fund, set up by the Community Foundation, since the announcement in March that the city would not pay for a fireworks display.

Then Bell Credit Union, a division of Credit Unions United, matched the total donations on Tuesday morning with a check for $15,000, putting the total well beyond the amount needed for the show.

Bell’s Gary Colcher said: “We’re trying to give back to the community that we’ve been in for 70 years. Through the efforts of many, it appears that they have a small fund for next year.”

“The entire community has been in support of this,” said Kim Clark, Community Foundation executive director. She said Bell “challenged” the community to raise money with its promise to match the total donations.

Most of the donors were individuals, and the majority of their donations were between $25 and $50, said Clark. “It’s really been a grass-roots-driven fund-raising effort,” she said.

The idea to start raising the funds for the fireworks was spearheaded by Pittsburg resident Brandon Belew.

He started groups on social networking Web sites, such as Facebook, and set up a Web site specifically for the cause: www.pittsburgfireworksshow.org.

Belew said the annual display was something to which he always looked forward. He said he proposed to his wife during one of the shows.

“I didn’t want them to go away,” he said.

With about $30,000 in the bank, he said, about $20,000 will be spent on this year’s show. The remainder will be earmarked toward the display next year.

“We are pleased to say that we already have $10,000 towards next year’s fireworks,” Clark said. She said the celebration is one of the few times a year that the Pittsburg community comes together to celebrate, and that it is important to keep that alive.