Pewaukee fireworks coin counting fundraiser; every penny matters

Rising costs mean Pewaukee's 4th of July fireworks need help to pay for the show. Now, you can get a lot more bang for your buck by donating spare change.

PEWAUKEE, Wis. - Rising costs mean Pewaukee's 4th of July fireworks need help to pay for the show. Now, you can get a lot more bang for your buck by donating spare change.

"It is quite loud – you have to raise your voice to have a conversation with someone," said North Shore Bank District Manager Cristen Baumann.

Summer at North Shore Bank means hearing coin counting – all the time.

"Customers are planning their summer vacations and their cashing in their coins so they have some extra spending money," Baumann said.

North Shore Bank District Manager Cristen Baumann

When North Shore heard Pewaukee's 4th of July fireworks needed extra cash, Baumann thought of a way you could save the day with spare change.

"We are matching up to $500 of the donations," Baumann said.

"This is probably the biggest event we have in the Village of Pewaukee as far as the sheer number of people," said Friends of the Parks of Pewaukee President Bob Rohde.

Rohde said costs for this year's show skyrockets.

"The goal this year is $30,000," Rohde said.

Friends of the Parks of Pewaukee President Bob Rohde

Rohde said that is about $3,000 more than in 2022 – because of rising costs to rent barges and buy fireworks. Half of the amount is covered by the village and city. Rohde hopes people will donate their spare change.

"I’ve got a penny for them! If you really need a penny," Baumann said.

With North Shore's match, the show will go on.

"We don’t want it to all fall on the taxpayers’ shoulders. We ask the businesses and citizens to help out with it," Rohde said.

North Shore Bank

Again, North Shore Bank is matching all donations up to $500.

The donations will go towards supporting the Friends of the Parks of Pewaukee’s recent plea for contributions to help raise funds to hold the event, which takes place on the 4th of July. If the public cannot raise the remaining $15,000 by then, organizers say they will have to dramatically scale down the show.

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For more information about the fundraiser, you are invited to visit northshorebank.com.