This year’s Fourth of July celebrations will be extra special as the U.S. marks the country’s 250th birthday and for many families, a stop at a fireworks stand will be part of the preparation. For the St. Cloud area Knights of Columbus councils, the holiday has also become an opportunity for one of the biggest fundraisers of the year.
This is the fourth year that the Knights of Columbus Council 5548 has partnered with TNT Fireworks, a nation-wide company that works with schools, churches, civic groups and clubs to help them raise funds during the Fourth of July and New Year’s selling seasons.
The council, which includes the churches of St. Anthony, St. Peter and St. Paul in St. Cloud, expanded the fundraiser this year, inviting the other councils in the area to participate.
Sean Gawne, the council’s financial secretary, oversees the project, which he took over from Conrad Meyer who passed away in December. Meyer started fundraising with TNT Fireworks in 2023.
The sales tent, located in the parking lot of the Sartell Walmart, is staffed exclusively by members of the Knights of Columbus or their wives and the organization will keep 20 percent of the proceeds from the sale of the fireworks.
“We’re on track to sell about $50,000 worth of fireworks this season,” said Gawne.
The funds raised will go to local charities that the Knights support, like the Lincoln Center shelter, Elevate Pregnancy and Family Resource Center and the Special Olympics, Gawne said. It will also help support seminarians and fund other activities like pancake breakfasts.
“It makes a lot more money than a meat raffle,” Gawne said. “We can make $200 having five people work at a meat raffle or we can make $6,000 here. Then we have more time to get involved with Special Olympics or maybe Habitat for Humanity.”
The tent will be open during the holiday weekend on Friday, July 3 from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday, July 4 from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday, July 5 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Pictured above: Sean Gawne, Council No. 5548 financial secretary, right, works with Bob Voight, the council’s treasurer in the sales tent July 2. (Dianne Towalski / The Central Minnesota Catholic)