Kiwanis fireworks paint the sky during the October 29 community event at Overlook Park in White Rock. Photo by Brooke Davis
The Kiwanis entry for the Pumpkin Glow, carved by Kiwanian Karin Church. Photo by Brooke Davis
Volunteers shoveling sand to stabilize launch tubes. Photo by Brooke Davis
Launch tubes being set up at the fireworks discharge site. Photo by Brooke Davis
Volunteers wiring the electronic launchers. Photo by Brooke Davis
LAHS Key Club members helping out at Overlook Field. Photo by Brooke Davis
BY BROOKE DAVIS
Los Alamos Kiwanis Club
The Los Alamos Kiwanis club was pleased to provide the fireworks show for the Los Alamos County’s Show and Glow celebration last Saturday at Overlook Park.
There is an amazing amount of work that goes into producing such a beautiful show. To produce the show, licenses and permits are required from the federal through the local level. Los Alamos Kiwanis has a team of people who have received federal licenses to allow them to order, receive, handle, store, and display the fireworks needed for a large-scale show.
Typically, there is an approximate 6-month lead time required for each show in order to work with the county on local permits, to choreograph the production, and to place an order with the vendor. The choreography process creates a computerized firing program that takes into account the height, magnitude, color and shape of each charge along with the timing that creates the beautiful effects.
During the week before the show, the fireworks are received and stored, the electronic equipment is tested, and the program is given a dry run. Then each shell has an electronic igniter installed. On the day of the show, the racks are assembled and erected, the electronic program is readied, the shells are loaded onto the racks. The sky gets dark, the program is tested one last time, the fire button is pressed, and then come the oohs and aahs. Wonderful!
Kiwanis would like to thank the Los Alamos County Community Services Department for all their help and coordination, and the Los Alamos Arts Council for their support with the Pumpkin Glow. Thanks also to the volunteers that put in so much hard work, the public for donations, and the community for attending.
A special thank you to our sponsors: COMPA Industries, Inc.; Kristy Ortega, RE/Max; Del Norte Credit Union; Suzie Havemann; Arthur B. Montoya, DDS; Archuleta Restoration & Remodel; James Sprinkle, Jr. and Jennifer Jones; Jason Pike; and John Arrowsmith and Jim Barran.
The Kiwanis Club of Los Alamos is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving youth. The proceeds from this event help support the Kiwanis programs for the youth of Los Alamos and northern New Mexico, and around the world. Our school programs encourage students to engage in community support activities through K-Kids (elementary schools), Builders Club (middle school) and Key Club (high school). We also donate to other area non-profits whose goals and programs overlap our own.
We hope to be back on July 4th to paint the sky again!