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Aqua Jays launch survey to get 4th of July input

JANESVILLE — Before the Rock Aqua Jays commit to hosting the city's Fourth of July celebration in 2010, they want to know what the community thinks.

The Aqua Jays are inviting city residents to fill out an online survey.

"We want to see how the community feels not only about having an Independence Day celebration but about the idea of the Rock Aqua Jays hosting it," said Joel Shapiro president.

"We want to get a general idea of what the community might tolerate," he said.

Shapiro e-mailed a link of the survey to Janesville City Council members; Aqua Jays club members and put it on a Facebook posting for more than 300 friends. He also asked club members to forward the survey to friends, family and others in the community, he said.

"Within a week, we should get a general idea of responses but will keep the survey open through the end of December, Shapiro said.

Once the survey is done, information will be shared with club members.

"It will be helpful in knowing if the community wants this or doesn't care. It's going to be one or the other," Shapiro said.

The input will help the club determine what its next step will be, he said.

"Because we're new at this—the Fourth of July celebration—we really don't know exactly what our next step is,'' Shapiro said.

The survey asks 10 questions, including:

-- What kinds of activities and events do you think should be part of a communitywide July Fourth celebration? Eighteen options are listed.

-- Which night do you think the fireworks should be launched? Options are July 2, July 3 or July 4.

-- How much would you be willing to pay for admission? The cost options range from zero to more than $10 a person.

In November, the Wisconsin Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge 14 and its Rebekah Lodge announced they would not be organizing Fourth of July events in 2010.

The Odd Fellows took over organizing Fourth of July festivities from the Janesville Jaycees, who hosted the event for many years. But at the end of 2008, the Wisconsin Jaycees dissolved the Janesville Jaycees charter because it didn't have enough members.

The Odd Fellows took over in 2009 but lost $16,000 while hosting a three-day celebration. The group still owed $10,000 in November, Odd Fellows Noble Grand Dale Stevenson said at the time.

Shapiro stressed that the Aqua Jays still are only continuing to "explore the possibility" of hosting the Fourth of July Celebration, including the fireworks.

Funding will the most important factoring the club's decision, he said.

"Our organization cannot afford to absorb all the costs of an event like this. You don't want to host an event just for the sake of having it. We want to host it to at least break even or make a little money," he said.

"Everything we do supports our purpose of putting on ski shows. If we can make a little money to support our cause, then we'll certainly consider it. If we made a lot of money, we'd find a way to give it back to the parks or something."