26th YEAR FOR ANNUAL FIREWORKS ORGANIZED BY SCHEIRING FAMILY
Posted 6/8/21
The annual fireworks display is now on a Saturday either before or after the official holiday.
By Susan Thompson
Lake Panorama Times
This year’s annual “Fire in the Sky” display will be Saturday, July 3. This is the 26th year the Fourth of July holiday tradition has been organized by the Scheiring family. Joe Scheiring passed away in August 2014, but family members decided to continue to organize the event to honor his memory.
“The Fire in the Sky show is a family tradition, and what better way for us to honor Joe’s legacy than to continue to organize the Lake Panorama fireworks,” says Rita Scheiring, Joe’s widow. “The 2011 Fourth of July fireworks show was our last family holiday prior to Joe’s stroke. The holiday will always hold a special place in our hearts and wonderful family memories.”
Joe Scheiring moved to a Lake Panorama waterfront home north of Shady Beach in 1990. He and Rita had a small dog they named Pyro, plus Joe earned the nickname Pyro Joe, because of his fascination with fireworks.
In 1997, Joe asked the Lake Panorama Association board of directors for permission to set off a small fireworks display at Shady Beach. That location allows boats to anchor on either side of the “elbow” in front of the beach while keeping an area right in front clear. The LPA board gave its blessing, and Scheiring purchased the necessary permits and liability insurance. He drove to Missouri and brought home $850 worth of fireworks.
That first show went well, and the annual fireworks display grew steadily. Soon J&M Displays, a southeast Iowa company that supplies fireworks and licensed pyrotechnic specialists for special events, was hired to help plan and operate the annual show. Rita works with company officials to design the show.
“When Joe was alive, he would purchase fireworks in Missouri and do his own pre-show fireworks display,” Rita says. “If he was still alive, we are certain he would purchase in Iowa, now that it is legal to buy fireworks here, and continue that tradition.”
Rita moved to Polk City in 2017. Her daughter, Stephanie Hummel, and granddaughters, Maddie and Evelyn, have a home at Lake Panorama. Rita says the new tradition is for her and Stephanie to hit the switch for the first two fireworks of the show, then jump on their boat to watch the show from the lake.
The annual fireworks display used to always be on the Fourth of July, but the Scheirings heard from people who were disappointed they couldn’t attend when the holiday fell on a weekday. Now the display is on a Saturday either before or after the official holiday.
The main cleanup takes place immediately following the show, as the tubes and electronic equipment are packed up. The morning after requires additional cleanup at Shady Beach, gathering the thousands of small pieces of paper scattered there. The LPA uses its beach groomer to get the beach ready for families to use, but Rita and Stephanie also help, just as Joe did when he was alive.
“The lake has experienced so much growth, we thought the 10-year anniversary of Joe’s last year with the show was a good time to share the Fire in the Sky history,” Stephanie says. “The 4th of July holiday has always been an opportunity for families to gather and share in the experiences Lake Panorama and Panora have to offer. Generous community support and donations continue to make this one of the best fireworks displays around.”
Stephanie says, over the years, it has been a Mother’s Day weekend family tradition to mail requests for donations to LPA members.
“In the beginning, we would stuff envelopes with flyers, but now we design a postcard to be printed and simply add labels,” she says.
Donations for the 2021 Lake Panorama fireworks display can be sent to Rita Scheiring/Fire in the Sky, P.O. Box 605, Panora, Iowa, 50216. Or via Venmo at @Rita-Scheiring.
The annual fireworks display is now on a Saturday either before or after the official holiday.
By Susan Thompson
Lake Panorama Times
This year’s annual “Fire in the Sky” display will be Saturday, July 3. This is the 26th year the Fourth of July holiday tradition has been organized by the Scheiring family. Joe Scheiring passed away in August 2014, but family members decided to continue to organize the event to honor his memory.
“The Fire in the Sky show is a family tradition, and what better way for us to honor Joe’s legacy than to continue to organize the Lake Panorama fireworks,” says Rita Scheiring, Joe’s widow. “The 2011 Fourth of July fireworks show was our last family holiday prior to Joe’s stroke. The holiday will always hold a special place in our hearts and wonderful family memories.”
Joe Scheiring moved to a Lake Panorama waterfront home north of Shady Beach in 1990. He and Rita had a small dog they named Pyro, plus Joe earned the nickname Pyro Joe, because of his fascination with fireworks.
In 1997, Joe asked the Lake Panorama Association board of directors for permission to set off a small fireworks display at Shady Beach. That location allows boats to anchor on either side of the “elbow” in front of the beach while keeping an area right in front clear. The LPA board gave its blessing, and Scheiring purchased the necessary permits and liability insurance. He drove to Missouri and brought home $850 worth of fireworks.
That first show went well, and the annual fireworks display grew steadily. Soon J&M Displays, a southeast Iowa company that supplies fireworks and licensed pyrotechnic specialists for special events, was hired to help plan and operate the annual show. Rita works with company officials to design the show.
“When Joe was alive, he would purchase fireworks in Missouri and do his own pre-show fireworks display,” Rita says. “If he was still alive, we are certain he would purchase in Iowa, now that it is legal to buy fireworks here, and continue that tradition.”
Rita moved to Polk City in 2017. Her daughter, Stephanie Hummel, and granddaughters, Maddie and Evelyn, have a home at Lake Panorama. Rita says the new tradition is for her and Stephanie to hit the switch for the first two fireworks of the show, then jump on their boat to watch the show from the lake.
The annual fireworks display used to always be on the Fourth of July, but the Scheirings heard from people who were disappointed they couldn’t attend when the holiday fell on a weekday. Now the display is on a Saturday either before or after the official holiday.
The main cleanup takes place immediately following the show, as the tubes and electronic equipment are packed up. The morning after requires additional cleanup at Shady Beach, gathering the thousands of small pieces of paper scattered there. The LPA uses its beach groomer to get the beach ready for families to use, but Rita and Stephanie also help, just as Joe did when he was alive.
“The lake has experienced so much growth, we thought the 10-year anniversary of Joe’s last year with the show was a good time to share the Fire in the Sky history,” Stephanie says. “The 4th of July holiday has always been an opportunity for families to gather and share in the experiences Lake Panorama and Panora have to offer. Generous community support and donations continue to make this one of the best fireworks displays around.”
Stephanie says, over the years, it has been a Mother’s Day weekend family tradition to mail requests for donations to LPA members.
“In the beginning, we would stuff envelopes with flyers, but now we design a postcard to be printed and simply add labels,” she says.
Donations for the 2021 Lake Panorama fireworks display can be sent to Rita Scheiring/Fire in the Sky, P.O. Box 605, Panora, Iowa, 50216. Or via Venmo at @Rita-Scheiring.
Stephanie Hummel is shown with her mother, Rita Scheiring. They are wearing hardhats as they prepare to push the launch buttons for the first two fireworks at a past “Fire in the Sky” Fourth of July display at Lake Panorama.