ELECT LARRY RUSSO FUNDRAISER - Monday, September 9th

Frank and Sherry Cotrona will be hosting it at their home at 5 Laurelwood Drive

FROM LARRY: "I am having my fundraiser on Monday, September 9th. Frank and Sherry Cotrona will be hosting it at their home at 5 Laurelwood Drive here in Wallingford. It will be from 5pm to 8pm, We will be having brick oven pizza, drinks, coffee and dessert. Your support is greatly appreciated. For tickets please contact me via email or phone."

I am also looking for lawn sign locations. If anyone is willing to display a sign on their lawn please contact me so I can make the necessary arrangements.

I would like to thank you in advance for your support and well wishes.

Larry Russo
email - larryrusso4council@gmail.com

THIS THURSDAY - FAMILY DINNER FUNDRAISER - CAMPUS AT GREENHILL WALLINGFORD FIREWORKS FUND

FAMILY DINNER FUNDRAISER

ZANDRI’S STILLWOOD INN – 7:00P.M.

1074 SO. COLONY RD., WALLINGFORD

THURSDAY MAY 24, 2012

TICKETS: $25.00 EACH / CHILDREN UNDER 12 $12.50

We are a registered 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization; our tax id# is 27-2576599

Family Style Baked Chicken, Ziti and Meatballs, Tossed Salad, Italian Bread with a Cash Bar

Door prizes / raffle

For more information, please contact:

Jason Zandri - (203) 294-4647 - Jason@Zandri.net

or visit our blog http://wallingfordfireworks.blogspot.com/

Please make checks out to: “Wallingford Fireworks Fund” and send to: Wallingford Fireworks Fund, c/o Jason Zandri,

35 Lincoln Drive EXT, Wallingford, CT 06492

Councilors seek help with fireworks fundraising

NOTE: The Wallingford Fireworks Fund will meet at Gaetano's Tavern on Main (40 N Main St  Wallingford) on Wednesday February 8th at 7:30PM in the dinning area.

The meeting will be to recruit volunteers to work as part of the fundraising committee for the 2012 fundraising season which will kick off on March 1st.

For more information contact Jason Zandri at 860 614 6069 or via Jason@Zandri.net. You can also contact Craig Fishbein at his law offices - (203) 265-2895

As published in the Record Journal on Tuesday January 31, 2012

By Russell Blair
Record-Journal staff
rblair@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2225

WALLINGFORD — If Jason Zandri has learned one thing in his past two efforts to raise money for the town’s Fourth of July fireworks celebration, it’s that you can never start too early.

Zandri, a Democratic town councilor, has headed the effort to pay for the fireworks since the town dropped the festivities from its budget in 2010. He’s already started a blog to promote this year’s fundraising efforts, and will be holding a meeting soon, looking for people to join a fundraising board to oversee the operations.

“We’re looking this year to get a formal fundraising committee established,”Zandri said. For the past two years, Zandri, his father, Geno, and Republican Town Councilor Craig Fishbein have collected most of the donations. But Jason Zandri said it can’t continue with just the three of them.

“It can’t just be the Jason, Craig and Geno show,” he said. “We lucked out doing it twice like that.”

The first year the money was raised, Jason Zandri worked from his Wallingford home and his flexible schedule allowed him time for fundraising outside Stop & Shop and Dunkin’ Donuts. But last year, Zandri took a job in New York City and had to restrict his efforts to the weekends.

“For 16 weeks that’s all I did on the weekends,” Jason Zandri said.

With his new responsibilities as a councilor, putting in the same effort this year will be “impossible.”

“I’m just too involved,” Jason Zandri said. “I have to tend to my council duties, and the majority of the fundraising comes during budget season.”

Fishbein agreed, noting that he too became busy in 2011 and didn’t help out as much as he did the year before. “We need all the help we can get,” Fishbein said.

Jason Zandri said he hopes more of the people who come out to the show will help pay the costs associated with it. Many of the donations in the past two years have come from large businesses and not individuals.

Fishbein said he was disappointed that two fundraisers scheduled last year — a matinee movie and a concert at Zandri’s Stillwood Inn — drew small numbers of people.

“It was very discouraging,” Fishbein said.

Fundraising efforts at the show last year also didn’t garner as much money as was expected, Fishbein said.

Jason Zandri will once again ask the mayor if the town can pay a portion of the costs, such as the police and public works overtime, but he said he wasn’t optimistic the town would put money toward the project. The fund has about$1,000 left over from last year to put toward the 2012 show.

Last year the $24,150 for the show was raised with little time to spare. Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr. said the check was delivered to the town at 2:30 p.m. on May 27, 2011, only hours before his 5 p.m. deadline.

A $2,500 donation from New Life Church helped the charity reach its goal in 2011. Similarly, a $5,000 gift from Choate Rosemary Hall in 2010 pushed the fund past its $30,000 goal.

For more information on fireworks fundraising, visit http://wallingfordfireworks.blogspot.com.

Pepsi Refresh Challenge: we are back in first place. HELP KEEP US THERE.

We slipped last night to 2^nd place but as of this morning (12/15) we are back to first.

Help keep us there! VOTE EACH DAY!

http://www.refresheverything.com/wallingfordbands

Pepsi Refresh – Let’s keep Wallingford’s schools at the top through 12/31

You can vote daily. Let’s all try to do this and get this money for Wallingford’s high schools and their bands!

We are in first place – c’mon Wallingford; let’s keep us there!

VOTE! http://pep.si/vTCmA8 VOTE!

3rd Annual Wallingford Emergency Shelter FUNraising Banquet

Dear friends of the Shelter,

Since this time last year, the Shelter Board and various committees have been working non-stop toward making the dream of emergency housing for families a reality.

We are preparing to break ground this November on the Martin B. Rubin Family Center

Please consider joining us on November 18th for our third annual “fun” raising event at Zandri’s Stillwood Inn, located at 1074 South Colony Road from 6PM to 10PM

This year’s program will be more relaxed and casual and will include a wide variety of activities including a DJ for great music and dancing, fun and exciting games, a tea cup raffle and silent auction. And of course there is the full dinner at Zandri’s which is guaranteed to be great.

Tickets are $45.00 each.

Checks should be made out to Wallingford Emergency Shelter Inc.

Additional information is available online via http://www.wallingfordshelter.org

You can also email for more details to matt@wallingfordshelter.org

Vinnie Testa for Mayor - Family Pasta Dinner and Campaign Rally

Vinnie Testa for Mayor
Family Pasta Dinner and Campaign Rally


Thursday, October 13, 5:00-9:00


VFW Hall 23 Prince Street


$20 / $30 per couple


**Kids eat free! Bring the whole family. No need to cook. **


Please R.S.V.P. vtesta@comcast.net or 203-675-4079

Celebrate Wallingford 2011 / Wallingford Fireworks Fund

Celebrate Wallingford 2011 will be taking place Saturday October 1st -- 11AM – 7PM and Sunday October 2nd -- 12PM - 6PM at the Wallingford Railroad Station Green and along Hall Ave.





I know there will be some candidates there campaigning but I will not be one of them. I will be there both days collecting for the Wallingford Fireworks Fund and that will be it.  

There might be the time for both but for me it is more important to get the needed jump start on the 2012 celebration as opposed to adding more juice to my campaign. As I need to, I can meet with people individually and in small groups in their neighborhoods; there are very few opportunities for me to reach this many Wallingford residents all in one shot for the Fireworks Fund. 

Besides, if at this point I would think that the voters are well on their way to forming their opinions about me, how I might serve the town, and what my goals and aspirations for the town are. If I need to reinforce anything or further clarify for them I can always do this on a one to one basis. 

Hope to see you at Celebrate Wallingford - thank you for the support over the past two years and I hope we can count on it again going forward.

REMINDER - ‘Party for a Cure’ scheduled Sept. 4

What : “Party For A Cure” for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Where : Zandri’s Stillwood Inn, 1074 S. Colony Road.
When : 5:30 p.m. Sept. 4.
Cost : $50 donation to MDA.
Information, tickets, donations : Call Zandri’s at (203) 269-6695.

WALLINGFORD — The Labor Day Telethon’s annual “Party for a Cure” will take place at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 4 at Zandri’s Stillwood Inn, 1074 S. Colony Road.

The admission charge will include a buffet dinner, open bar, entertainment and a silent auction. Proceeds will be donated to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

WTIC-TV will broadcast live from Zandri’s during the telethon. For information or a reservation, call (203) 269-6695.

PARTY FOR A CURE - Telethon changes, but local MDA ‘party’ goes on

As published in the Record Journal Friday August 26, 2011

By Russell Blair
Record-Journal staff
rblair@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2225

Fast facts
What : “Party For A Cure” for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Where : Zandri’s Stillwood Inn, 1074 S. Colony Road.
When : 5:30 p.m. Sept. 4.
Cost : $50 donation to MDA.
Information, tickets, donations : Call Zandri’s at (203) 269-6695.

WALLINGFORD — Fifteen years ago, representatives of the Muscular Dystrophy Association came into Jim Zandri’s office looking for a donation, and left with much more. “MDA kind of became my thing,” Zandri said. “They were just asking for a donation, but I volunteered to host an event.”

Zandri’s Stillwood Inn, 1074 S. Colony Road, is hosting its 15th annual “Party for a Cure” fundraiser on Sunday, Sept. 4, at 5:30 p.m. For a $50 donation, guests can enjoy an open bar, a buffet-style diner, entertainment and a silent auction.

The party will last until midnight and feature live cut-ins on WTIC-TV. The restaurant will be showing the telethon on a big screen TV, and those in attendance will have a chance to watch themselves on camera.

“The cut-ins are always a lot of fun,” Zandri said.

Zandri’s event is one of two MDA telethon parties being held in the state. The other event is being hosted at Mohegan Sun.

Zandri said he became involved with the MDA because he was always a big fan of Jerry Lewis, the comedian who hosted the telethon from its inception through last year. The MDA announced several weeks ago that he would no longer be part of the telethon.

John Sullivan, a town councilor and friend of Zandri’s, has been a regular at the event and helped co-host it over the years.

“It’s an incredible charity,” Sullivan said. “And the money raised stays in Connecticut.”

Over the years, Zandri said, $309,000 has been raised. Last year’s event alone raised $41,000. Much of the money comes from a silent auction of items donated by area businesses.

“This year we have a scooter, a recliner, Yankees tickets, Red Sox tickets,” Zandri said. One of the most popular items every year is a handmade afghan knitted by Joan Parisi, the wife of Town Council Chairman Robert Parisi, he said.

“There’s something for everyone,” Zandri said.

This is the first year the telethon will be held without Lewis — and strictly in prime time instead of spread over 22 hours — but Zandri said he doesn’t foresee that hurting the event. The most rewarding part, he said, is helping those in need.

“It makes you realize that you could be on the end where you’re in need of help,” Zandri said.

“Until you learn, you don’t realize how many different diseases fall under the umbrella of MDA,” Sullivan said. “Research to find a cure can’t be done without these events. I look forward to it every year.”

Sheehan High School cheerleaders plan fundraisers

WALLINGFORD — The Sheehan High School cheerleaders will sponsor the fundraisers in August and September to defray expenses for the season.

A fundraiser will be offered from 4 to 8 p.m. Aug. 18 at Burger King, 888 N. Colony Road. The restaurant will donate 20 percent of the evening’s sales to the team.

The cheerleading team will perform at the New Britain Rock Cats baseball game on Aug. 19. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

A bus trip to Mohegan Sun Casino will take place Sept. 24. A fee will be charged.

For information or tickets for the Rock Cats game or Mohegan Sun trip, call Lisa Eroh at (203) 269-6161.

Muscular Dystrophy Fundraiser - No more Jerry, but Jim Zandri is still raising funds for MDA

As Published in the Record Journal, Tuesday August 9, 2011

By Russell Blair
Record-Journal staff
rblair@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2225

WALLINGFORD — Jim Zandri said it was Jerry Lewis who inspired him to start his own muscular dystrophy fundraiser, which continues for its 15th year next month.

“His involvement inspired me to do what I did,” Zandri said.

Lewis, who has been the face of the Muscular Dystrophy Association for nearly 60 years. won’t be hosting this year’s national telethon for the first time since 1966, but Zandri said he doesn’t think the departure will hurt fundraising efforts.

“The cause is still there, this is still needed,” Zandri said.

Before last week, when Lewis’ departure was announced, the MDA had already prepared changes to this year’s telethon. The event, which used to last 21 hours, will shift to prime time, from 6 p.m. to midnight on the Sunday before Labor Day. Traditionally, the telethon began Sunday night and continued into Monday.

Steve Fredrickson, executive director of the MDA’s New Haven district, said the changes were adopted for a number of reasons.
“We wanted to bring it into prime time,” Fredrickson said. “It’s the 21st century; we’re trying to capitalize more on Internet donations.”

Fredrickson has been with the MDA since January. He said he joined because he believed in the organization’s mission.

“Sunday I had my first chance to go to an MDA summer camp, and really see our funds at work,” Fredrickson said.

Zandri said that Lewis’ departure didn’t change too much in the planning of the event, and that he’d expected Lewis, 85, to step down from the association in the next few years.

“At some point it had to continue on without him,” Zandri said.

In a statement, R. Rodney Howell, MDA chairman of the board, said, “Jerry Lewis is a world-class humanitarian and we’re forever grateful to him for his more than half century of generous service to MDA. We will not be replacing him as MDA national chairman, and he will not be appearing on the telethon.”

The MDA has become synonymous with Lewis, Zandri said, but it was important that the organization create its own identity. It’s been a slow transition, but Zandri said that he thinks people are aware of the MDA for reasons other than Lewis.

“There’s a need for a transition,” he said. “It’s a new generation. My kids don’t know who Jerry Lewis is.”

Zandri expects turnout for the event to be the same as in years past.

“Most people come regardless,” he said. “I don’t expect anybody to abandon the cause because Jerry Lewis is gone. People support the cause because they’re affected personally by it.”

Fredrickson said that the MDA is expecting viewership of the telethon to be up this year because of the primetime hours.

Zandri’s telethon party will be hosted at Zandri’s Stillwood Inn, 1074 S. Colony Road, from 5:30 p.m. to midnight on Sept. 4. For a $50 donation to the MDA, guests have access to a buffet, an open bar, dancing and a silent auction. Zandri said that in 14 years, the local event has raised more than $300,000.

“There’s no gimmick,” Zandri said. “It’s just a donation, and it’s a good time.”

Wallingford fireworks show goes on

As published in the Record Journal Sunday July 3, 2011

By Dan Brechlin
Record-Journal staff
dbrechlin@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2266

Photos online by Sarah Nathan

WALLINGFORD - Mirin Scassellati had an expensive birthday party Saturday night. Her family had to pay for the cupcakes and presents, but luckily various organizations, businesses and residents pitched in the $24,150 for a fireworks celebration.

The fireworks were not just for her, but the 9-year-old and her family enjoyed the early Independence Day show. She blew out a candle, unwrapped presents and bit into a red, white and blue frosted cupcake.

"I like having fireworks on my birthday," Mirin, a Cheshire resident, said.

As for the $24,150 tab for the fireworks and police and other emergency services overtime, for the second consecutive year the town was not able to pay. And for the second straight year, Jason Zandri stepped up to organize the fundraising efforts.

"They said the money was not there," Zandri said. "Nobody said they were going to step up and do anything or fundraise, so I felt I had to."

And raise money he did. Last year, the money came in faster, Zandri said, with a big help from Choate Rosemary Hall, which pitched in $5,000.

The same check did not come this year, which Zandri had no problem with. But when his May 27 deadline, handed down from Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr., was quickly approaching, Zandri got a big bonus. A check worth $2,500 came from New Life Church, helping to save the day and show.

Thousands gathered at Sheehan High School, Moran Middle School, Highland School, nearby businesses and parking lots, and even from their front lawns to watch the fireworks.

"It's important people come out," Zandri said. "This is their show. They're watching a show they helped create."

Sarah Park, a Wallingford resident, said she felt proud to have helped out with the fundraising efforts and put the show on.

"I gave a few dollars the other day," Park said, noting that Zandri had been standing outside a local Dunkin' Donuts collecting anything he could get. "They should have this every year no matter what. The kids love it and deserve to see some fireworks."

Zandri has already gotten a jumpstart on next year's collections, as he walked around asking for help in putting on the show next year.

Before the fireworks could begin, children were running around, playing games, waving glow sticks and using sparklers. Miniature hot air balloons ascended into the sky, with the crowd cheering and clapping in approval.

As the clock reached 9:30 p.m., the first few fireworks shot off into the sky, provoking "oohs" and "aahs" from the crowd.

"I'm sure people will want something similar next year," Zandri said.

Wallingford Fireworks Celebration – Saturday July 2, 2011 after 9PM on Hope Hill Road

Looks like we’ve lucked out on the weather again this year. What was looking a little shaky earlier in the week on the long range forecast has now turned out about as perfect as we could have hoped for.

The Wallingford Fireworks celebration takes place this year after 9PM on Hope Hill Road. The best view is from the Highland Elementary and Sheehan High School lawns.

Parking is available at both of the schools as well as over at Moran Middle School. After that, there is parking on public streets unless otherwise posted.

Please remember as well to take care as you park in the neighborhoods around the schools and walk over to the school grounds. The neighbors there, especially the ones that are indifferent to the show, have to put up with a lot of cars, people and inconvenience for that night.

Please be mindful of all of this as you are a guest in their neighborhood. Take care as you would in your own neighborhood and take away with you anything you brought to the show.

We will take up a collection for the 2012 event on the grounds before the show starts and on the way out after the show ends; if you can support us early for 2012 please consider donating a few dollars.

Thank you again for all the support and we’ll see you at the show!

WALLINGFORD FIREWORKS FUND - Charity saves the day

Fireworks show must go on in Wallingford

As published in the Record Journal, Saturday, May 28, 2011

By Russell Blair
Record-Journal staff
rblair@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2225

WALLINGFORD — For the second year in a row, private donations will fund Wallingford’s Fourth of July weekend fireworks display after the town dropped the celebration from its budget.

Jason Zandri, who successfully led the fundraising charge last year, came up with the $24,150 needed only hours before Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr.’s Friday afternoon deadline.

Zandri said the group was about $6,000 short of its goal at the beginning of the week, but made the final push thanks in part to a $2,500 donation from the New Life Church in Meriden (http://www.InNewLife.com).

“It’s very gratifying to know that we made the deadline,” said Republican Town Councilor Craig Fishbein, who helped Zandri on the fundraising effort.

Fishbein said he had some doubts about a month ago that the money could be raised in time, but Zandri was confident the money would come.

“I wasn’t able to help as much as I did last year,” Fishbein said. “For Jason, this is a labor of love. His confidence and work ethic should be heralded.”

As of 11 p.m. Thursday, Zandri had posted on his blog that the group still needed $1,288.

Zandri took off from work Friday and started collecting money at the Dunkin’ Donuts on North Colony Road at 7 a.m. while his father collected at the Dunkin’ Donuts on South Colony Road. Jason Zandri said that he was able to raise nearly $200 Friday morning before he collected the $2,500 check from the Rev. Will Marotti. Zandri said additional donations were collected at the Stop & Shop in town.

Dickinson said it was good that Zandri raised the money in time and applauded the successful effort. Dickinson said the town would begin to appropriate the money and plan for the show. He said the check was delivered to Town Hall about 2:30 p.m. Friday.

While Zandri has made the deadline each of the last two years, it hasn’t been easy. In 2010, Choate’s $5,000 donation pushed the fund past its $30,000 goal. This year, the money wasn’t raised until the eleventh hour. Even though fundraising efforts started earlier this year — and the group earned 501(c)(3) status, making its donations tax deductible — Zandri said it wasn’t until the last few weeks that the checks started rolling in.

Zandri said he hopes to get more volunteers next year, and that the current group of himself, his father and Fishbein “isn’t sustainable.” He said he hopes to form a committee next year to help better coordinate the effort.

Fishbein said that the group’s three fundraisers — a dinner, a concert and a movie matinee — didn’t draw many people from the community. Fishbein attributed the success to a number of small donations and “grassroots fundraising and going door to door.”

Fishbein said he doesn’t foresee the town providing taxpayer dollars for the event in the near future, and that residents should get used to chipping in for the fireworks.

“I’ve said all along, this event is for the people, by the people,” Fishbein said. “If the residents of the town want this event, then they should volunteer.”

The fireworks are scheduled for July 2 at 9 p.m.

WALLINGFORD FIREWORKS FUND – New Life Church makes their $2,500.00 donation; collections continue as we are $600.00 short our goal

Craig and I stopped by New Life Church this morning at 10:30 to meet with Will Marotti Senior/Founding Pastor who was happy to hear that we had crossed the matching grant level.

When we arrived he already had the check ready for us saying “we knew folks would come forward to help get you over the grant threshold where we were able to donate.”

With that grant given and the money from this morning in we are sitting at about $600.00 short of our goal to get the check cut and over to the Mayor for the 5PM deadline.

The mail has yet to arrive with possible donations and I am going to see about standing at Stop and Shop to collect so we still have time to get the funds to the town.

Fireworks Show		$12,000.00
Police Overtime		$7,750.00
Fire Department / Overtime		$1,900.00
Port-o-lets		$990.00
Fire Marshall		$850.00
Public Works		$330.00
Board of Education		$330.00
Total		$24,150.00

$600.00 in six hours? Piece of cake Wallingford, we know we can do this.

WALLINGFORD FIREWORKS FUND – 18 hours left, $1,288.00 left to collect

I am writing this blog post after 11PM on Thursday night; it’s scheduled to automatically post on Wallingford Politico and it’ll appear on From the Mind of Jason Zandri at 7AM on Friday.

We need to collect just $1,288.00 more and the show will be on. This assumes the matching grant from New Life Church in Meriden (http://www.InNewLife.com) comes in (their current total is $2,360.00 against our recently collected total of the same amount). I am supposed to meet with Founding Pastor Will Marotti at 10:30 tomorrow morning to pick up their matching grant check.

My father will be at Dunkin Donuts on South Colony Road collecting donations after 7AM and I will be at the Dunkin Donuts on North Colony Road at the same time.

We have until the close of business at Town Hall on Friday to get the $24,150.00 to the Mayor.

Please consider stopping by and making a donation and helping us get over that finish line.

WALLINGFORD FIREWORKS FUND – Where we stand with 35 hours to go

Hi Gang – I am sure you read the news in the Record Journal as well as my blog post from the other day; we are about $5,000.00 shy of our goal and New Life Church in Meriden (http://www.InNewLife.com) has pledged to grant up to $2,500.00 to the funds as matching funds to the fireworks effort.

What this means is all the donations that are coming in over the next two days will be matched by them, dollar for dollar, up to $2,500.00.

Yesterday’s donations from Wednesday the 25th also applied and here’s where we are:

Donations received on Wednesday May 25th - $1,273.00
Donation to be made as part of the grant - $1,273.00

Total due to the Town of Wallingford for the show – $24,150.00

Total cash on hand in the Fireworks Fund – $19,415.00

When you add together the cash on hand in the fund and the donations to be made from the New Life Church matching grant our new total is $20,688.00; we are now just $3,462.00 short of our goal with 35 hours to go.

My father will be collecting at Dunkin Donuts in Yalesville today from about 7AM to about 9:30AM or so – if you’re in the area please consider swinging by and making a donation; New Life Church will match all of these donations and double the impact.

On Friday I am taking a day off from work to collect as well; I am going to be at the Dunkin Donuts on North Colony in the morning to about 10AM and I will call Stop and Shop as well to see if we can stand out there in the mid afternoon.

If you’re considering mailing a donation please do it this morning – it has to reach me by tomorrow to be considered part of the match.

Checks can be mailed to The Wallingford Fireworks Fund, c/o 35 Lincoln Drive EXT, Wallingford CT 06492.

You can also make a donation via PayPal to the fund via our website - http://www.wallingfordfireworks.org/

We can do this Wallingford – effectively we are talking about $60.00 an hour or so over the next 35 hours when you add in the effects of the matching grant.

Let’s roll.

WALLINGFORD FIREWORKS FUND - Church helps fund fireworks show with days to spare

As published in the Record Journal, Thursday May 26, 2011

By Russell Blair
Record-Journal staff
rblair@record-journal.com  
(203) 317-2225

WALLINGFORD — With help from the New Life Church and the Rev. Will Marotti, fundraising efforts for town’s Independence Day weekend fireworks display may reach the amount needed.

Jason Zandri, who has coordinated the event since the town dropped financing for it last year, said the New Life Church agreed Tuesday to match up to $2,500 in donations Zandri receives before Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr.’s Friday afternoon deadline.

“They reached out to me and said they wanted to do something,” Zandri said.

“We’ve been in Meriden for 11 years and we’re always looking for ways to add value back to the community,” Marotti said. “We’ve been having weekly services in Wallingford for a year, and we thought this was a good way we could do something to bless the community.”

Wednesday afternoon, Zandri said the group was still about $5,000 short of the $24,150 needed, including $7,750 of overtime pay for police officers to work the event, which draws around 10,000 visitors.

Zandri said he asked Dickinson for an extension to Tuesday, but the mayor wouldn’t budge. Dickinson said last week the town needed to know by Friday to allow time for securing state permits and scheduling employees from the Police Department, Public Works and the Fire Department.

Despite the looming deadline, Zandri is optimistic that the money will be raised in time. Last year, Choate Rosemary Hall donated $5,000 to fund the show.

“I’m pretty optimistic, we’re pushing hard to get this,” Zandri said. “I know checks are coming, I’ve had some people call and say they were sending more money in. It’s going to be a photo finish, but we’ll clear the line.”

WALLINGFORD FIREWORKS FUND – 59 hours and counting

It’s 6AM Wednesday morning as I write this blog post from the train and we have 59 hours to the close of Town Hall on Friday to get them the check for $24,150.00 for the fireworks.

Our cash on hand total is currently $18,230.00 and there is a $900.00 pledge from my former employer Microsoft still outstanding.

You might have already seen from my post yesterday - WALLINGFORD FIREWORKS FUND – Closing the gap with a grant from New Life Church – New Life Church (website - http://www.InNewLife.com) has made a pledge to match all new donations dollar for dollar up to $2,500.00 from now to the end of collections on Friday.

This means, effectively, if we can raise just $2,500.00 more in new donations we can clear the total amount due and have the show paid for by the close of business on Friday.

My father is out collecting at Dunkin Donuts this morning and he’ll be out there on Thursday and Friday as well. I am taking Friday off myself to collect additional donations. All of these cash donations will be part of that matching grant from New Life Church so every dollar you give now counts twice.

You can also make a donation via PayPal to the fund right off our website at http://wallingfordfireworks.org/. Donations there will also be applicable to New Life Church’s matching grant as well as all monies mailed and received by Friday. If you want to mail in your donation please try to do it today or Thursday morning the latest so that we might receive it in time to apply it against their matching grant offer.

Checks can be made out to the Wallingford Fireworks Fund and mailed to “c/o 35 Lincoln Drive EXT Wallingford CT 06492.”

This is the home stretch Wallingford so let’s do what we do best – pull together and get it done!