Fireworks Tribute to Dad
As a kid growing up in the 1920s, my dad shot a lot of fireworks on the Fourth of July each year. And of all the fireworks that he enjoyed, his favorites were Roman candles and firecrackers. When I was a kid, he would often reminisce about the old-time Fourth and how he enjoyed it. Hearing such tales instilled in me a life-long passion for pyrotechnics that has lead to me shooting fireworks displays all over Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Washington including the White House where I presented a show for President Reagan. And my position as treasurer of the Maryland Pyrotechnics Association and the vice president of the National Council on Fireworks Safety can all be traced back to my dad's stories of those long ago Fourth of July celebrations.
To honor my dad's memory, I will be presenting a giant "cracker burn" and "Roman candle battery" at the August convention of the Pyrotechnics Guild International in Butler, PA.
Were my dad still with us, he'd really enjoy those 500,000 firecrackers and 1000 Roman candles as they roar in his honor.
Jack Leonard
221 Spring Avenue
Lutherville, MD 21093
410-560-0513
This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.
The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?