Two girls in gymnastics outfits sit with their mothers under a tarp tent in the July sun, all for a good cause. The combination might seem explosive, but Karla Peeples and Stacy Chandler from Highland are some of the moms doing what it takes to raise funds for their girls at American Fork Recreation Center Twister Gymnastics to participate in parades, meets and competitions for the rest of the year.

They are not the typical girls doing car washes or selling candy by a store for fundraising. They sell fireworks instead.

The RC Willey parking lot in University Parkway, their spot of choice, hasn't been the same since June 25. Their 25-by-25-foot white tarp gazebo and multi-colored signs and tables have caught the attention of shoppers, who come to browse the fountains, sparklers and rockets on sale for the Fourth of July.

These two full-time mothers are some of many involved in selling fireworks this Fourth of July season for fundraising.

Though this is their first time selling pyrotechnics, the two Highland natives said they are excited and expect a lot of sales throughout the week they are open for business.

"Our chairperson decided that this was one of the best fundraisers, so they decided to do it," Peeples said.

Chandler and Peeples said this was their first year working with Phantom Fireworks, a Youngstown, Ohio based company which provides them with the fireworks to be sold.

Every morning, different sets of mother-daughter teams have to unload and place all the fireworks on their display tables. At night they reverse the process and place them back into a storage trailer next to the tent for security reasons.

"It takes us around an hour, for the four of us, to do the whole process," Peeples said.

Most firework stands around Utah County open a week or so before Independence Day celebrations, and close a day after the festivities.

With a stand in the Plumtree Shopping Center in Provo, first timers Austin Blanchard from Salem and his sister-in-law Richelle Blanchard from Lehi are learning the pyrotechnic business.

"The manager of a brother-in-law of ours did this last year and decided to do it again," Richelle Blanchard said. "He had the opportunity to have another booth down here, so we took this booth."

The Blanchards' stand is raising funds to finance Austin's LDS mission, and they both agree they won't be selling fireworks again.

"If all goes as planned he should be on his mission," Richelle Blanchard said. "Probably we won't do it [sell fireworks] again. Probably it is just this one time."

As customers walk in any of the stands around the area, they will find several signs indicating that smoking is prohibited anywhere near the premises, in addition to other security fliers.

"Security is a big issue," Richelle Blanchard said. "Sales are prohibited to anyone under 16 years of age, and minors and adults as well have to stay out of the restricted areas."

Currently, most of the booths count on about four people helping. By Independence Day they are planning on doubling the number of helpers.

"We are seeing around 10 to 20 customers a day," Austin Blanchard said. "On the third and fourth [of July] we expect to have our entire inventory sold."

In the Provo High School parking lot, there is another firework tent. This one is staffed by cheerleader's moms trying to raise funds to help their daughters earn their way to Hawaii to support their basketball players.

"Our coach told us Provo High School is not new at selling fireworks," said Sissy Olsen, mother of one of the cheerleaders. "With several years of success they are now trying to reproduce their past accomplishments and provide their cheerleaders with the funds they need.

Olsen said they also offer parking for Stadium of Fire on July 4.

Olsen said the poppers and sparklers are the most sold among customers.

Provo High has twostands - one in their parking lot on the corner of University Avenue and Bulldog Boulevard, and the other by the Provo Smith's. They are selling hundreds of fireworks for TNT Fireworks.

Firework stands all over Provo have a vast selection of pyrotechnic devices, with prices ranging from 50 cents for a sparkler to $1,200 for a package containing dozens of fireworks.

Copyright Brigham Young University 3 Jul 2008