Save Lake Wawasee’s Fireworks – Help Replace Our Failing Barges!

A Tradition Worth Preserving

For decades the Wawasee Property Owners Association (WPOA) has staged an Independence Day fireworks show that rivals many of the best. Families and friends gather on shore or cruise by boat to the center of the lake to watch the sky erupt in color, a summer tradition that makes Lake  Wawasee the lake we love.
To keep this tradition alive, the WPOA is launching a one‑time capital campaign to replace our aging fireworks barges so the show can continue safely and spectacularly for years to come.

Why We Must Act Now

Just this past show (2025), during transit to the center of the lake, we experienced several failures, including one that was critical:

• Truss failure: Two trusses, the steel supports on one barge, broke apart while carrying several 10‑inch shells. (see photo)

• Emergency repairs: Crew members entered the water in the middle of a busy lake to make temporary repairs so the show could proceed.

• Program delays: Barge issues caused the program to stall at key moments, including the opening notes of the Star Spangled Banner.

Beyond just this past incident, our fleet of ten barges (all but one are more than 25 years old) faces persistent problems:

• Safety hazards: slick, uneven decks and failing welds have caused injuries.

• Fire risk: wooden decking that frequently catches fire, including notable incidents in 2018 and 2021.

• Structural and logistical failures: recurring breakdowns threaten show timing and crew safety.

Beginning with the 2026 show, the WPOA’s professional pyrotechnic partner will not include the large eight‑ and ten‑inch shells that fill the sky unless new barges are in place. The result would be a dramatically reduced annual fireworks display, in height and size.

The Solution

We plan to purchase a new modular barge, fire‑retardant platform system that will:

1. Sit higher in the water, protecting shells during transit.

2. By design, configure quickly, reducing show risk, setup time and crew risk.

3. Last for decades, saving tens of thousands of dollars in maintenance over its lifetime.

Estimated cost is $350,000.

Donate Today – Activate the Match and Keep Our Tradition Alive

Every year, our amazing Lake Wawasee community comes together to fund the Independence Day fireworks display. Now we need your help with a one-time capital campaign to replace our ten aging launch barges so the show can continue safely and spectacularly for decades!

Here’s how you can double your impact
We’ve formed a Founders Matching Fund seeded by leadership gifts. Until Labor Day, every dollar you give is matched one-for-one—unlocking matching funds and doubling the power of your gift. But the match only activates if the community steps up with new donations. Your contribution makes the match happen.

• A $50 gift becomes $100 toward new, fire-resistant barges

• A $250 gift becomes $500, protecting those signature shells

• A $1,000 gift becomes $2,000, driving us closer to our $350,000 goal

This is a one-time campaign—this effort is in addition to your annual fireworks donation. Together, we can replace the fleet, eliminate safety and fire risks, cut maintenance costs by over 75%, and ensure Lake Wawasee’s Fourth of July remains the most beloved tradition on the lake.

How to Give

1. Online: visit https://www.wawaseeassociation.org/new-barges

2. Check: payable to WPOA Fireworks Barges, PO  Box  427, Syracuse,  IN  46567

All donations are 100% tax‑deductible through WPOA’s 501(c)(3).
Donors listed below!

Our Goal

We must raise the full project cost by Labor Day so fabrication can begin this fall and the new barges debut for the July  4th  2026 show, which will coincide with our nation’s 250th anniversary.

Without your support, we risk losing the big shells—dramatically reducing the size and spectacle of our beloved fireworks show.

Imagine Next July 4th

• Imagine the breathtaking sight of huge shells filling Lake Wawasee’s sky, reflecting brilliantly on the water- creating memories that last a lifetime.

• An uninterrupted spectacle

• A larger, safer launch platform

• A secured Fireworks tradition for the next generation

Will you help keep Lake  Wawasee’s signature celebration alive and booming?

Donors

Community Donors

Raised as of 7/14/25:
$40,426 (below) + $40,426 dollar-for-dollar match from Founders Fund

Below are the Generous neighbors of Lake Wawasee that Have contributed to the WPOA Capital campaign to replace the Failing fireworks barges:

$5,000 - $9,999

• Tom & Joan Marcuccilli

• Jon & Kristine Leetz

• Ryan & Sarah Mcbee (iSolutions)

• Joseph Hinrichs

$1,000 - $4999

• Harry & Jane Finch

• E.H. McNichols

• Kristen Kenney

• Kay Young

• Dianne Dykstra

• Dennis Gernhardt

• Douglas Rose

• Sally Reel

$500 - $999

• John & Diane Miller

• Stephen & Maria Phillipp

• Jeffrey T Ramsey

• Tonda Longenecker

• Kristin Eby

• Luretta Deschner

• Richard LaVanture

$250 - $499

• John Schlagenhauf

• Alan Tehan

• Sherry Swank

• Joel Wuebker

• Kevin Elpers

• Chris Gortney

• Patrick McGinn

• Chandra Seybert

• Daniel Morris

• David A. Lindsey

• Kim Colby

• Michael Violi

$100 - $249

• Roland & Connie Slyby

• Wes & Kathy Young

• Martha Wilson

• Michael Nichols

• Kurt Heinz

• Bruce Kurtz

• Ann Porter

• Jerry Oswald

• Shelley Lukemeyer

• Anthony Yager

• Patricia Rice

• Rosita Kilty

• Kim Arbogast

• Connie Blackwell

• Steve Hurst

• Sue Hirschman

• Brad Webb

• Craig Taylor

• Robert Gorgol Sr

• Clare Baumgardt

• Constance Anthony

• Gretchen Moon

• Laura Donahue

• Mary Ann Prah

• Geoffry Williams

• Kathy Graham

• Shelia Flatt

• Emily Bowsher

• Robert Powell

• David Slyby

• Janie Butler

• Panos Bourounis

• Dana Pahud

• Bill McCabe

$1 - $99

• Robert Schreck

• Diane Zimmerman

• Cheryl Smith

• Julie K Gilpin

• Shannon McNett Silcox

Fireworks Founders Matching Fund

Match fund commitment as of 7/14/25: $155,000
($114,574 waiting to match community donations)

Below are the Fireworks founders COMMITTED to match donations from the community dollar-for-dollar - effectively DOUBLING each gift toward replacing the WPOA’s failing barges.

$25,000 Donors - Founders Fleet Captain

• Jim and Pat Marcuccilli, Piers 250+251
  ”Every Fourth of July, our family and friends gather on the lake for hot dogs and laughter and, when Kate Smith takes the mic, the pure magic of her voice. It’s one of our dearest traditions, and we’re proud to support replacing the barges that make the fireworks possible.”
  

• Randy and Deborah Tobias, Pier 811
  ”Lake Wawasee’s fireworks embody the spirit of our community and country. We are grateful for the chance to support new barges that will safeguard this beloved tradition now and for generations to come.”
  

• Doug and Carolyn Anderson (Wawasee Boat Co.), 469A, WBC is 754
  ”Lake Wawasee’s Fourth of July is more than fireworks; it is a reunion of our community, and a reminder of why Wawasee is home. That is why we are proud to support keeping this tradition alive.”
  

• Main Channel Marina, Pier 689-A024
  

• Joan Cleveland, in memory of John W Cleveland, Pier 446
  ”Lake Wawasee has been at the heart of our family’s summers since the 1970s. Now, sharing that same magic with my grandchildren each Fourth of July means the world to me. I’m proud to support the new barges so they can celebrate here for decades to come.”
  
  

$10,000 Donors - Grand Finale Partner

• Roger and Char Pecina, Piers 621+622
  ”There’s nothing like fireworks over Wawasee: moments that bring neighbors together in joy and pride. We’re honored to help replace the barges so those memories continue for years to come.”
  

• Jane DeHaven (DeHaven Chevrolet), Pier 034
  ”My fondest memories are of Fourth of July on Lake Wawasee with family and friends, going back to when I was a child. It’s my favorite holiday—it celebrates country, family, friends, and The Lake.”
  

• Tom and Patty Kelley, Pier 800+801
  

Future Wawasee Fireworks Dates