Sequoia Church in Manteca was back at it Tuesday, offering up safe and sane fireworks to the public as a major fundraiser for an upcoming mission project.

This was the first official day of firework sales for non-profits in the area. Most places are expected to be open from now through Monday – the Fourth of July – or while supplies last.

“So far, we’ve had a nice first day,” said Sequoia Church Pastor Dan Mahaffie.

There are 14 non-profits selected by lottery for the chance to sell fireworks in Manteca.

The sales are legal for a week and end at midnight on July Fourth.

Under state law, cities that allowing legal fireworks sales must also allow then to be discharged during the same time period the sales are underway.

The exception, of course, is illegal fireworks that are prohibited all of the time.

Those stopping by his TNT booth in the church parking lot at Union Road and Wawona Street are offered up refreshing sno-cones, perfect for the hot summer days.

Mahaffie – helping him out on this day included his children, Taylor and Cameron, and Esther Tuttle – mentioned that this was the sixth year of his church operating a firework booth at this same familiar location.

As for the next mission project, the Sequoia Church group will be going to North Pole, Alaska next summer to help fix and repair houses.

Previous missions – thanks to the sales of fireworks – consisted of doing much the same to homes in New Orleans, Gallup (New Mexico), Oakland, Bend (Oregon) and Houston.

Mahaffie is all but certain that the Alaska summer of 2023 will not have heat and humidity as experienced in New Orleans and Houston in recent years.

The Sequoia Church fireworks booth at 1050 S. Union Rd. will be open daily from 9 a.m. to about 8 or 9 p.m., from now through possibly Monday.