There will be fireworks!

"We saw the news report that the Fourth of July fireworks celebration was in jeopardy of being cancelled. Like everyone else, we did not want that to happen.

MAFPRE/Commerce Insurance is pleased to sponsor the fireworks this year. Our corporate headquarters in the United States are here in Webster, and almost 2,000 of our employees come to work here every day. MAPFRE and our employees, most of whom live in Webster or the surrounding towns, are committed to giving back to the community. The annual Fourth of July fireworks celebration is a special event and MAPFRE welcomes the opportunity to continue this wonderful tradition."

Jaime Tamayo
President & CEO
MAPFRE U.S.A. Corp.

And so there will be fireworks at Memorial Beach in Webster on July 3rd.

Speaking for the town's selectmen, chairman Don Bourque said, "I'm overwhelmed with the generosity of Commerce Insurance, which is doing this for the local residents. It's an amazing thing when corporate America gives to the community like this...what would we do as a town without someone like Commerce or the Fels family."

The fireworks will be produced by Alonzo Fireworks Display, Inc., of New York, and local pyrotechnic expert Arnie Villatico, who has been the mastermind behind the annual fireworks for the last 15 years, will be participating. Because of new state regulations, fireworks must now be lit electrically, not manually, which will have some imipact on the scope and scale of the event, according to Mr. Villatico, but they are still planning "some special effects and surprises," he said.