WE NEED YOUR INPUT – PLEASE RESPOND BY MARCH 8TH
For the past many years, the Labour Day fireworks display has been an exciting and well-attended event marking the approaching end of yet another summer on Skoot. Lots of boats gathering in the bay in front of the causeway, lots of people gathering on docks, bonfires (conditions permitting!), barbecues – something for almost everyone to enjoy.
The show has gone on, and on, as a result of the generous financial support of many families, using the familiar honour system/suggested donation per family model to maintain a self-funded status. For ten straight years, and with the help of our fireworks and logistics supplier Capital Pyrotechnics, we were able to maintain the suggested donation at the $25 level. Two years ago, however, in the wake of increased costs stemming at least in part from the pandemic, we were obliged to raise the suggested donation to $35.
Inflationary pressures on cost inputs such as fuel, labour, shipping, and the fireworks themselves have unfortunately continued to mount in the interim;for 2024, the total price to stage the Skootamattashow is set to rise by another 30%. At the same time, we have experienced some decline in the number of supporting families. As a result, we are obliged to look at increasing the suggested donation to $55 per family in order to break even.
We should also acknowledge the degree of concern among some cottagers and residents regarding the negative environmental impact represented by fireworks, including disturbance to birds and animals (including pets!), natural habitat, and debris in the water.
Given all these circumstances, your SDRA Board feels it appropriate to engage the membership in a discussion around the Labour Day Fireworks event. We have developed the following short survey (https://forms.gle/hSrHoKXZWfwLB9Z17) as the means of facilitating this discussion. We would greatly appreciate your taking a few minutes to review the survey and provide us with your feedback/thoughts/ideas. Once we have received and evaluated the results of the survey, we will provide an update on the way forward for our Labour Day finales.
Thanks for your attention and support!
Sincerely,
SDRA Board of Directors
