A CLOSER LOOK

Bridgton:

Friday, July 3

Dusk – Fireworks at Stevens Brook Elementary School, located off Portland Road (Route 302).

Saturday, July 4

8 a.m. – The annual Four on the Fourth Road Race. Register online at www.fouronthefourth.com, or on race day at Bridgton Memorial School.

Noon – Parade along Main Street.

Naples:

2 p.m. – Parade begins along the Causeway. Please expect road delays. The bridge will not open at 2 p.m. for boating traffic. The next scheduled opening is at 4 p.m.

Dusk – Fireworks viewed from the Causeway begin.

Fireworks will once again light the sky over the Naples Causeway once the sun goes down July 4.

But the annual celebration could be in trouble if more local businesses don’t step forward to help pay for one of the town’s major events, Town Manager Derik Goodine said this week.

The Fourth of July celebration this year will cost around $13,000, with the fireworks, set for just after dusk, accounting for $10,000. Naples selectmen have budgeted $8,000 for the celebration, and Goodine would like to see local businesses pick up the rest. With just three days to go, the town has collected around $2,000, he said Wednesday.

“We’ve got a long way to go,” said Goodine, who said the July 4 events have been supported by the same small group of local businesses over and over again.

Businesses like Rick’s Cafe, Bray’s Brew Pub, Causeway Marina and Naples Marina and P & K Sand and Gravel has donated regularly and generously, Goodine said.

This year, Dick Dyke, Gazebo Tees, Norway Savings, New England Electric, Songo River Queen, Dr. Steve Barter, Krainin Real Estate and Naples Real Estate have pledged money .

But it is not enough to cover the cost, and plenty other businesses who are benefiting from the fireworks are not donating, Goodine said.

“I’d like to see all the businesses, not just a handful, pledge some money,” he said.

Goodine recently sent a letter to local businesses seeking financial support for the July 4 events, which bring over 10,000 people to Naples each summer.

“In order for me to have the desire to continue to fight for funding of the Fourth of July Festivities next year and garner support for such funding by the Budget Committee and Selectboard, I need participation by more businesses in Naples. It shouldn’t be a few carrying the load for all,” he wrote.

Goodine said he “runs himself ragged” every year leading up to and on the July 4 holiday, shuffling up and down the Causeway to make sure everything is in place. He does it because the crowds that come to Naples that day help local businesses, but he said he may not continue the fireworks next year unless more help comes forward.

“I am under no obligation to fight for the fireworks or even organize the Fourth of July festivities, but do it because no one else will,” Goodine wrote in the letter.

The resources are there for a good show, Goodine said. One year, the town said the fireworks would not happen unless businesses raised half the funds, and $8,000 was collected. Last year, businesses contributed $1,800, he said.

“I was rather disturbed by that,” said Goodine. “We expect the business community to share in these costs.”

The town manager sent the letter out this week asking businesses to give what they can spare. The town will continue to accept donations after the holiday. It would be money well spent, as a good show will bring people back to town, he said.

“If every business gives as much as they can afford, it means a better show and more money because they’ll go and tell their friends and bring them back next year,” said Goodine. “Fourth of July is a big holiday, and I think the fireworks are the big reason.”

Dick Dyke, former owner of the Charlie’s on the Causeway restaurant and a shareholder in the Naples Country Club, agreed.

“The whole weekend of the Fourth is very important to the Causeway,” said Dyke, who gave $1,000 this year after pledging $500 a year ago. It has been a hard year for small business owners, he said, so he wanted to help plug any gaps.

“I know it is going to be tough for businesses to even give what they gave last year, so I thought I’d step up,” said Dyke.