Fundraiser for fireworks

Portales residents Kaitlyn Robertson, 3, and her mother Michele Robertson are working to raise money for a fireworks display at the annual Smokin’ Fourth of July Bash.

Along with other friends, the duo are putting together a lemonade stand and bake sale Saturday at Wal-Mart.

Robertson, a Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce ambassador explained “I was discussing the shortage with (chamber executive director and Portales mayor) Sharon King at work and then I was talking about it at home later on. Kaitlyn overheard me talking about how we were going to raise money for the fireworks, then one morning about couple of weeks later she said she wanted to help raise money for the fireworks.”

Robertson said they went through some ideas and Kaitlyn decided on a lemonade stand and bake sale.

Kaitlyn has been helping her mother make signs to post around town advertising the bake sale. They have also designed donation canisters and placed them at local businesses.

Donation canisters can be found at C&S, Hestands Floral and Gifts, Yucca Telecom, the Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce, the Print Shop, Domino’s, Do Drop In, City Hall and Big Valley Ford.

Kaitlyn said she’s doing this because she enjoys the fireworks and wants to make sure she can see them again this year.

“I like to see them pop,” Kaitlyn said. “I likes all the colors of the fireworks.”

Kaitlyn said their stand at Wal-Mart is going to have banana bread, lemonade, peanut brittle, honey and anything else that is donated.

Portales Mayor Sharon King said she is going to make cookies and her mom is going to make peanut brittle for the bake sale.

“We’re going to help her out the best we can because it’s something a little 3-year-old wanted to do and her mom is letting her do it,” King said.

Last year the chamber was $1,000 short in trying to raise the money to pay for the fireworks.

So far with $5,490 from the Lodger’s Tax fund, they still need to raise $3,000 to cover the cost of the fireworks this year.

“I know the chamber ambassadors are doing some things to raise money and we’re hoping that would help,” King said. “We’re just trying to think of anything this year.”

King said donations can also be made online.