Submitted By Joe Dibacco
On May 6, 2020 a special meeeting of the thomas volunteer department was held to make a decision on this year’s fourth of july celebration. As result of this meeting the following announcement is being made:
It is with the heaviest hearts that the members of the department announce that we have made the difficult decision to cancel the july 4th fireworks display, the friday night block party, the parade and breakfast. Due to the covid-19 pandemic.
We waited as long as we possibly could to make this decision , which we had to make before the end of that week to submit applications for the required state and federal license and permits as well as ordering the display.
All of us are very mindful of the economic impact that the 4th of July celebration has on our community. However, first and foremost our highest priority has to remain the health, welfare and safety of our community resisidents as well as the many visitors who come to thomas for this event. We do not want to create a scenario where people cannot practice safe social distancing.
We are also very conscious of our county first responders who are duty bond to respond for call to service and this event would clearly place them in an extraordinary difficult position.
We don’t know if covid-19 can survive in the warmer months, but the display takes months to plan.
This display would have been the 63rd annual, the display has never had to cancel. The display is a non-profit public service project of the thomas vfd, it is one hundred percent funded by donations collected by a house to house, roadblock, mail in, thomas and davis bussinesses, individuals collections , and 2,000.00 From the county p&r board. The donations are collected on the previous year 4th to pay for the next years’ display whatever is collected is what we spend.
For this year’s display the department was prepared to spend over 14,000.00, This was due to the tremendous collection we received last 4th 2019.
The cost of the display includes insurance , supplies and material and the cost of permits and license. The display is firied by members of the department who are state certified pyrotechs or pyrotechs in training. It takes at least 12 to 15 members to do the display , everyone must have a pyrotech license at 20.00 Per member .
In closeing we the members of thomas vfd would like take this opportunity to thank everyone who supports the department as well as the fireworks display without your support over the years we wouldn’t even have a department let alone the fireworks. Thank you all , we are so very sorry to disappoint so many, we ourslves are very disappointed, but we truly believe we made the right decision.
We’ ll be back with the 2021 display stronger and better than ever. We will not conduct our annual house to house collection or set our roadblocks to collect for the 2021 display. If you would like to donate to the 2021 display you may send your checks to Thomas Vol. Fire Dept. Note For Fireworks 2021, Box 27 , Thomas, Wv 26292
If anyone has any comments, questions or concerns you may post them on our facebook site, or e-mail @ thomas40@frontiernet.net or attend one of our meetings.