AUBURN- The United States has been using fireworks to celebrate its independence since the late 1770s, but the city of Auburn, Nebraska, has added a way to support the community in addition to the dazzling, sky barrage.

The Auburn Optimist Club runs and operates a firework stand within the city, and according to chair of the fireworks committee Heather Pemberton the money earned selling fireworks is used to give back to youth within the community.

“We do scholarships for high school seniors every year,” Pemberton said. “We do a youth fishing tournament in the fall. We take care of spookfest here in Auburn.”

Although this tradition hasn’t been going on since the late 1770s, Pemberton, like most residents in Auburn, have longstanding ties to the firework stand.

“I remember growing up, coming to the firework stand that the optimist ran,” Pemberton said. “So this has been around for a while.”

With the state of Nebraska’s new bills and regulations regarding fireworks, Pemberton said the firework stands inventory has expanded, and there are always a variety of fireworks to choose from leading up to the fourth.