Fireworks for football

The Clarke Youth Football program benefited greatly this summer from Gilbert’s True Value and Iowa Fireworks Company.

High School Football head coach Duane Matthes knew that Gilbert’s True Value would be a good location for the Iowa Fireworks Company to set up their stand. The stand was manned by Matthes for 17 straight days with football players coming out to help sell fireworks to earn money for the Osceola Quarterback Club.

“We had a really good helper, Riley Domina, who graduated last year” said Matthes. “He just wanted to help and was here a lot of the time too during the 17 days of craziness.”

Matthes stayed in a camper near the fireworks stand for 17 days and football players would come during the day to sell fireworks and allow Matthes to leave for a break.

“We were really blessed and fortunate to have people step up,” said Matthes.

After another fireworks stand set up in the Iowa Fireworks Company’s usual spot Matthes suggested Gilbert’s True Value’s parking lot. Once Gilbert’s found out that the Iowa Fireworks Company was connected with Clarke Football Gilbert’s donated the money that they made from renting the space to the Iowa Fireworks Company to the Osceola Quarterback Club.

Jeremiah Terhark, owner of the Iowa Fireworks Company, has helped the Osceola Community before by donating proceeds to the Aquatic Center. Ronda Wishon and her family had worked with Terhark and she got Matthes and Terhark connected in order for the football team to benefit this year.

“Wherever possible I try to partner up with a community cause,” said Terhark. “We’re a local Iowa company so we really want to try to partner up with the community that we’re in to keep the money local.”

The Osceola Quarterback Club was given $1,500 from Gilbert’s True Value and $2,500 from Iowa Fireworks Company for working and manning the stand.

The money that goes to the Osceola Quarterback Club helps support the youth program.

“What we’re trying to do is subsidize the cost for people who can’t afford it so we can get as many people out to play football as we possibly can and there’s never going to be a reason to say, ‘hey we just can’t afford it’.” said Mathes. “We never want that to be a deterrent or barrier for someone wanting to play.”

Last year the youth football had it’s highest number of participants and Mathes would like to see that trend continue. Matthes sees it as investing in the future Clarke High School football players.