PORT CLINTON, Ohio — The city of Port Clinton has struggled in recent years to raise money for their Fourth of July fireworks.
This is why one well-known member of its city council is putting her hair on the line to raise as much money as possible.
This year's firework display will cost Port Clinton $18,000. These high prices have forced the city to get creative in recent years for fundraising.
A few years ago, Mayor Mike Snider shaved his head for about $6,600, and he brought up the idea again for this year's fundraiser.
"You know unless Margaret decides to offer her hair, and everybody laughed, of course," Snider said. "And after the meeting she came up and said, 'I think I'll do it.'"
Margaret Phillips is a retired teacher of 50 years and a long-standing member of city council.
She said she would be willing to buzz her hair off if the fireworks planning committee could raise $20,000.
"I'm a first-generation American, and I have always been taught by my parents that you have to appreciate what's around you, or you lose it," Phillips said.
Snider and Phillips hope that with how well-known the council member is around town, the extra fun of seeing her cut off her locks would be enough to make this year's fireworks display the best in recent years.
"Margaret is a wonderful person, I had her as a teacher in high school. She is a wonderful educator, an even better person, and obviously a good spirit to put her hair on the line for this." Snider said "I just hope that we can come up with it so that we can have decent fireworks. And it will be nonpolitical, it will be for the good of the country, the good of Port Clinton. Because this is a really nice place to live, that's why so many people want to move here."
If you would like to help this initiative, you have until June 25 to drop off your donation at the Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce.
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