After 14 years, Ottawa First steps away from fireworks fundraising

The fundraising torch for Ottawa’s annual Fourth of July fireworks show has been passed from Ottawa First to the Ottawa Downtown Association, but not without some anxious moments on each side.

Ottawa First, the all-volunteer nonprofit group that for the past 14 years has raised the funding for Ottawa’s show, one of the best in all of northern Illinois, disbanded. The group had its final meeting Thursday at Bianchi’s Pizza.

Almost all of the current members were on hand to reminisce about their experiences, reminding each other of moments both funny and disappointing, all the while reveling in the company that has brought so much joy to individuals and families over the years.

“It’s a sad thing,” said Lou Ann Carretto, one of the group’s original members. “There are a lot of mixed emotions – like we’re kind of glad to be done, but then we started reminiscing about all the things we’d done over the year and all the fun we had. It’s a happy kind of sad situation.

“We all knew it was time. There were a lot of members who needed their space or felt bad because they couldn’t help out like they used to, and we’re all getting older. We thought, ‘Let’s go out while we’re still having fun.’”

The membership includes Lou Ann and Bob Carretto, Larry Johnson, Chuck Stanley, Pat Applebee, Nancy Roach, Dan Aussem, Scott Munks, Shelly Roalson, James Less, Linda Johnson, John Duback, Sherri Countryman, Jay LeSeure, Kathy Bishop, Jack Feehan and Steve Brenbarger.

That group was not only responsible for the fireworks. It also was tasked with many other popular events in town over the years, such as the Oktoberfest celebrations, the “Ottawa First Has Talent” show and many more, all raising funds through countless hours on the corners of East Norris Drive and Columbus Street.

However, the fireworks will be its legacy.

Out of the many thousands of memorable moments, Lou Ann Carretto remembers leaving one show in particular and being stopped by a young man – an out-of-town visitor about 20 years old. He went on about how great the show was, the setting and the organization of it all, and when he learned that Carretto was involved in the fundraising, he was taken aback. He then reached into his pocket, came out with five $20 bills and handed it to her.

“Things like that, the appreciation for what we’ve been doing, all the thank you notes, all the kind words, the gratitude,” she said. “That’s made it all worth it … and we hope the Ottawa Downtown Association finds it as rewarding as we have.”

Carretto passed along to ODA board President Cassi Skoflanc a multipage document of things to look for, plan on and watch out for to make it easier for her as the event moves forward.

“People just came up to me and said, ‘Oh, Cassi, you have to do that’,” Skoflanc said. “I wasn’t so sure because I knew it was a lot of work, and it was just Heather [Pursley] and I [in the ODA], but the more I thought about it, I realized if we don’t do it, who will?

“When she got back from her vacation, I said, ‘Don’t kill me, but …' but she was all about it, too, so it all worked out. We know it’s a lot of work, but we’re very excited about it.”

Because the event has always been so successful, Skoflanc pledged to keep the event the same as it’s always been. There may be a few additions, she said – such as an ice cream social on the Jordan block or dessert food trucks along the streets, or possibly even the selling of an Ottawa Fourth of July T-shirt, a new design every year, to help with fundraising.

However, the core of the event – the displays, the music playing during the show, the skydivers – all are expected to be back. It will remain the classic event that has drawn praise from Ottawa residents and drawn in people from all over northern Illinois, and that is good for the ODA and the city.

“We do get so many people coming from out of town for the fireworks because they have always been so well done,” Skoflanc said, “so there won’t be any drastic changes because it has always worked so well. We’ll do the same things for fundraising: Some from our ODA events throughout the year, the four corners, ask businesses to hold the boxes for us again and the T-shirts.

“We hope to see the football stadium filled with our Ottawa Fourth T-shirts every year. … It’s such a great thing for the community. My family and I couldn’t imagine not having the fireworks, so we’re very happy to keep this tradition going for Ottawa.”

Anyone wishing to volunteer for the fundraising effort can sign up on the ODA Facebook page, while anyone wishing to make a donation can do so at ottawadowntownassociation.org.