Lions accepting donations for Fourth festivities

A few years back, the Good News Network shared a few ideas on how to celebrate the Fourth of July.

While many fire up the grill for a family barbecue, there are a number of ways to make your celebration more meaningful,.

Their suggestions:

• Sign your own Declaration of Independence

Track down a replica copy of the document and keep it in safe spot. Bring it out during the Fourth of July and invite family and friends to add their signatures.

• Listen to a reading of the Declaration of Independence

Reading the full document, written in large part by Thomas Jefferson, may take a bit of commitment and seriousness, GNN officials said in their post. However, listening to it read by radio professionals helps the document come to life. Each year, the National Public Radio airs a reading of the Declaration of Independence — something well worth the nine or so minutes it takes for the document to be read.

• Make a flag you can eat

Head on over to the farmers market and pick up some fresh blueberries and strawberries grown right here in Sandpoint. Then either buy or make a cake and get to decorating, using the berries to create your own (and delicious) flag.

• Get a full-sized flag

Every home needs their own flag to put up during key holidays. (And if you need help learning how to fold it properly, head on over to your favorite browser and any number of websites and videos will show you the steps.)

• Play John Philip Sousa’s "Stars and Strips Forever"

It's been called one of the greatest songs ever written, GNN folks write on the website, and contend that no one plays it better than the National Symphony Orchestra on the West Lawn of the Capitol on the Fourth of July.

Locally however, the Sandpoint Lions Club has been the driving force for the community's Independence Day celebration for more than 50 years. After taking a year off due to the pandemic, the club is again hosting the celebration and has plans to make it bigger and better than ever.

The parade's theme this year is "It Takes a Community" and the event will showcase the many local businesses which impacted by the pandemic, and celebrate the community and all residents, Lions Club officials said.

Applications are being accepted for the Grand Parade, and will be until the morning of the parade. The children’s parade will start at 9 a.m., and the Grand Parade will begin at 10 a.m.

While the club has the funds to cover the costs of the parades, celebration, and fireworks show, they're looking to make them bigger and better than ever.

Among today's donations is a $2,000 anonymous donation.

Although overall fundraising for this year is limited due to the short turnaround time, Lions Club officials held a raffle in 2019 to pay for 2020 fireworks, which were then run by Sandpoint Independence Day, Inc. instead.

Those funds, in addition to community donations, will be used for the Fourth of July events.

Those who wish to contribute to the July 4 fundraising can do so by clicking the donation link on the Lion’s Facebook page, facebook.com/SandpointLionsClub, or dropping off donations at the Daily Bee, 310 Church St.