Greg Glavan once was cited for possession of sparklers when they were among the fireworks banned under Minnesota law. Hands slapped, he decided to become a professionally licensed pyrotechnician. Today, his "sparklers" span the night sky.
Not that he ever looks up to admire them. Glavan, of Delano, is among the 100 or so members of Northern Lighter Pyrotechnic Inc., a nonprofit group based in Minnesota and one of the oldest all-volunteer fireworks clubs in the United States, formed in 1977.
The Lighters present about 20 fireworks shows every year around the region, "but we never look at the sky," Glavan said. "I'm a dentist by trade, so I certainly value my hands." Sometimes, if they have a particularly spectacular or unusual shell, they'll pause the show to study it. Mostly, though, they keep their sights on safely igniting the explosive shells and waiting for the "oohs" and "ahhs" of the crowd to tell them how they did.
Fireworks sales to the general public had been illegal in Minnesota since 1941, but that changed in 2002 when Gov. Jesse Ventura vigorously supported legalizing low-level pyrotechnics such as sparklers and certain fountains and torches.
Still, lighting a fizzly fountain in your driveway hardly compares to sending a giant Chrysanthemum soaring into the sky. But no one sets fire to fuse without lots of training, said Glavan, the group's media liaison. All members undergo background checks and must pass the Pyrotechnics Guild International's shooter certification course, among other safety courses. "There are some hoops to jump through," Glavan said. Members present shows throughout the year and can learn how to build their own fireworks shells.
Members are from all walks of life, from lawyers to Lutheran pastors. For more information on the requirements for becoming a member of the Lighters, check the website at www.northernlighters.org.
Kim Ode • 612-673-7185
