No one likes rain on their parade. Not even in Seattle. For eight years, Washington Mutual Bank sponsored Seattle’s
annual ‘‘Family 4th at Lake Union’’ fireworks show on Independence Day. The financial giant folded in 2008 due to its
extensive involvement in high-risk loans when subprime mortgage crisis hit, creating the largest bank failure in American
history and leaving Seattle’s summer ritual without a sponsor. JPMorgan Chase, the company that bought what was left of
WaMu after its collapse, agreed to sponsor the fireworks for one year, but it chose not to extend the commitment into the
future. No other corporate sponsor came forward, and the nonprofit organization that planned to produce the event in 2010
had no other choice but to cancel it. When news of the cancelation broke, local celebrity chef and restaurateur Tom
Douglas and radio host Dave Ross launched a fundraising campaign to save the show. Douglas started a fund by donating
some of the money required, and he called on individuals and corporations to chip in as well. Within 24 h, Starbucks,
Microsoft, and about 300 other individual and corporate donors had pledged enough money to light the sky according to
tradition. Residents of the city and the surrounding areas were relieved that the show would go on, but they also seemed to
revel in the cooperative spirit and sense of community the combined sponsorship represented. Clearly, the public was
pleased about the outcome, but do community-minded actions like these have any special effect on the way employees at
Starbucks, Microsoft, and Douglas’ restaurants feel about their company and do their job?