By DREW GRANTHUM/Staff Writer

The Chilton County High School Gridiron Club is turning to a “fire sale” of sorts to help raise money for the school’s football program.

The club will be selling fireworks to help raise money for its locker room project, through a fundraising program with TNT fireworks, a Florence-based company.

Gridiron Club president Chris Smith said the opportunity came to the club through the school. After no other group opted to pick up the fundraiser, Smith said the club agreed to take on the endeavor.

“What TNT does is contract out, and they called the school,” he said. “No other group would do it, so I said we would.”

Smith said the booth will be set up and stocked by representatives from TNT, but run and maintained by volunteers from the club. The booth will be located in the parking lot of Walmart in Clanton.

“This is our very first attempt,” he said. “If it works, we’ll do it again July Fourth.”

The club will keep a percentage of the money — along with any tips — generated by the booth, Smith said, and money raised will go toward major renovations to the program’s facilities.

“We need to raise between $2,000-3,000,” he said. “We’ve got a locker room project. (We want to) renovate the locker room, (and are) trying to build a room to help with rehabilitation (of injured players).”
Smith said the club hoped the renovations would allow for more space to be created, allowing for coaches to have some more office space.

Smith said the booth was different than many forms of fundraisers, such as car washes or barbecue sales, but hoped the uniqueness of the sale combined with helping the football program will draw customers.

“It’s a very interesting way to make money,” he said.

The booth will sell a variety of TNT products, and will offer a bundle of products designed for ultimate pyrotechnic entertainment, Smith said.

“We’ll have a ‘burger-fry-drink combination’ opportunity,” he said. “(We’ll) sale a package that will get you…a complete firework show for $50-100.”

The booth will be open at 10 a.m. on Friday, staying open until 10 p.m. each night until New Year’s Eve, when it will remain open until 1 a.m.