The spirit of Kathie Males will live on Friday night during New Kensington's fireworks display.
A longtime coordinator of the city's Fourth of July fireworks, Males battled pancreatic cancer for four years and died last July. The lifelong New Kensington resident was 62.
New Kensington Council named this year's Independence Day celebration the “Kathie Males Memorial Fireworks and Festival” in her honor.
“She was the heart and soul of that event,” said Councilman Doug Aftanas.
“Kathie was the driving force behind us being able to have fireworks for not only New Kensington but for the entire area,” said Mayor Tom Guzzo. “She was the person who really made sure that it happened.”
Males' husband, city Engineer Tony Males, said his wife got involved in organizing the city's fireworks display in the late 1990s when Robin Clark Connolly, the girlfriend of Kathy Males' brother, Dan “Skip” Rowe, was elected to council.
“My wife was a big fan of the fireworks, and she was wondering why they had not continued,” Tony Males said.
The city's Sons of Italy club had sponsored the display for a few years, but fundraising difficulty led to the event's cancellation.
Under Kathie Males' leadership, the display returned in 1999 and continued through 2012 until her illness limited her involvement.
“She took the job very seriously,” Guzzo said. “She put the fear of God into the mayor and council to make sure the fireworks happened.”
Tony Males said during the last few years of his wife's tenure with the festival, she was shouldering most of the fundraising and organizing responsibilities.
“She loved fireworks. She got a kick out of it. It brought out the little kid in her,” he said. “It's that simple. She just loved them.”
Males said he was pleasantly surprised when council announced the event would be named in her honor. He and members of Males' family plan to be in attendance during the festival.
“There will be tears of joy and remembrance,” he said. “It's very much appreciated. It's very appropriate.”
New helpers carry torch
After a one-year hiatus in the fireworks following Kathie Males' resignation, new volunteers brought the display back last year.
City officials credited Andre Carter and Samantha Thomas with doing much of the legwork to raise money and organize the accompanying block party.
“Andre and Samantha are the two people who've really continued what Kathie was doing,” Aftanas said.
Carter, who owns the independent record label Jams Avenue Music that recently set up shop in New Kensington, said his background in event planning and music seemed to be a natural fit for helping with the festival.
Carter said the festival, which kicks off at 6 p.m. in the Barnes Street parking lot, will feature more vendors than last year and a disc jockey offering karaoke.
The fireworks will be set off shortly after 9 p.m. from the top of the city's parking garage on Fourth Avenue.
“It's going to be another exciting event,” Guzzo said. “The concept has caught on. The nice thing is, based on these newer people getting involved, we're already preparing for next year.”
Liz Hayes is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-226-4680 or lhayes@tribweb.com.
