Sixteen nonprofits and community organizations will be opening up fireworks booths Wednesday in preparation for the Fourth of July.The programs range from the Christian School Parents Club to Karazenpo Karate. They will sell fireworks from the TNT fireworks company at booths throughout the city. The fireworks are not legal in Gilroy except Wednesday through midnight on Saturday, and are not allowed to be taken outside the city, said Gilroy Fire Marshal Jackie Bretschneider.
In 1986, the charity groups were grandfathered in, allowing them to sell fireworks annually, Bretschneider said. If one of the current charity groups did not reapply for a permit to sell fireworks, a new organization could take that booth, but openings are rare.
The city does collect sales tax from fireworks sold, but the city does not report these numbers and didn't have them computed at the time of this article, said Gilroy Revenue Officer Irma Navarro.
One group that will be out selling fireworks is the Gavilan College RAM Football Boosters. It will set up shop at 1210 First St., near Hecker Pass Plaza. The group uses funds from firework sales to buy whatever the school hasn't supplied said John Lango, the head coach of the Gavilan football team.
The group tends to pick a project each year. One year it might be shirts and shorts for a team trip. This year, their goal is to buy new video editing equipment for the football team, he said.
View Fireworks booths in Gilroy in a larger map
Katie Helland
Katie Helland is an intern at the Gilroy Dispatch. You can reach her by e-mail or at 847-7139.
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