SPRUCE PINE -- Spruce Pine Police Chief Bill Summerlin plans to host a special fireworks show next month for residents of the Brian Center and Mitchell House.
Summerlin started his own grassroots fundraising campaign earlier this month to raise $500 to purchase the fireworks.
Summerlin said that as of Thursday, July 9, he was already well on his way to raising the necessary funds. Anything extra, he added, will be split up and donated to the Brian Center and Mitchell House for use in their respective general event funds.
Summerlin said that especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to remember the elderly citizens.
“It’s really easy for us to forget what matters most,” he said. “Most of us forget that we have people at our local rest homes that haven’t seen any family for months.”
Summerlin said the fireworks display is an easy way to show the elderly residents that they matter.
“It’s sad to say that some of the people will step off into eternity without ever getting to see family again,” Summerlin said. “We, as a community, can do a little something that might give our folks that truly matter some assurance that we’ve not forgotten them.”
Summerlin said the fireworks show will be exclusively for residents of the Brian Center and Mitchell House. Due to COVID-19 concerns, he asks the public to allow the seniors to enjoy the show alone but show their support by donating money to the cause.
The Spruce Pine Fire Department will handle the lighting of the fireworks and safety control at the Brian Center while the Grassy Creek Fire Department will take care of the Mitchell House.
“We’re just going to give them something to do on a warm August evening once the sun goes down,” Summerlin said. “Then, we’ll think of something else special that we can do for them.”