personalized shirts: Warm weather heats up Fireworks T-shirt sales

By George Derringer/ SWAMPSCOTT@CNC.COM
Thursday, June 22, 2006

T-shirts are hot, as hot as Monday's weather, red, white and blue hot.

"We've been selling a lot of T-shirts and getting some really nice donations for the fireworks as well," Maureen Gilhooley, administrative assistant to the Board of Selectmen, said on a sweltering Monday afternoon.

The T-shirts, which just went on sale last Friday, are being sold to support the big fireworks display each July 3 that has come to be an annual town highlight. Fireworks are supported entirely by donations and fund-raising efforts, entirely outside the town's tax-supported budget.

And Monday was a great day.

"People have been coming in for beach stickers - standing in line for them, in fact - and they see the T-shirts and walk upstairs to buy some for the entire family," Gilhooley said. "And we very much appreciate the donations by check as well."

The idea for the shirts was submitted by Sheila Burke, Gilhooley said.

She said in addition to the T-Shirts the effort to raise funds for the fireworks also includes the all-important "Swampscott Day" golf tournament at Tedesco Country Club, which has been rescheduled for June 26 after an early-season rainout.

T-shirts will be available at the annual Strawberry Festival on July 2 and perhaps other places, including the golf tournament, said Gilhooley, an annual leader of the fireworks fund-raising effort.

Of course, people don't have to wait for a request to arrive in the mail. Donations, made payable to the "Fireworks Fund," may be sent in care of the Selectmen's Office, Town Hall, 22 Monument Ave., Swampscott, MA 01907. All amounts help. And the fireworks will be at dusk Monday, July 3.

Town Hall is open for personalized T-shirt sales during regular business hours.

Fourth of July parade taking shape, marchers needed

Details for the Fourth of July parade are shaping up, but there's lots of room for more, says Marianne Hartmann, one of the organizers, as well as police officer Jim Schultz, who is organizing both marchers and drivers.

The parade is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Sunday, July 2. Marchers of all kinds are needed and there will be a float contest as well. Schultz says he's looking for people with antique cars and trucks or people with unusual "classic" cars to drive in the parade, as well as groups who want to march.

Neighborhoods and various teams or groups are especially encouraged to enter the contest, Hartmann says.

There is also a theme of "Swampscott Honors Home Town Heroes" for the parade so local military men and women are being sought for the civic and patriotic event. Schultz, who doubles as the town's veterans agent, would like to hear from military folks who can add their presence to the parade.

To take part in the parade or get more information, call Hartmann at 781-799-8235 or contact Schultz at the police station, 781-595-1111.