The deadline to volunteer as a royalty candidate for the annual Fourth of July fundraising campaign is 5 p.m. Friday, May 15. To attract more candidates — whether individuals or groups — the chamber of commerce has changed the financial incentive.

“Since we are quickly approaching our entry deadline of May 15 and still don’t have an official candidate, we’re looking for ways to encourage more participation,” Lora Lee Mason, the chamber’s executive director, said on Saturday, May 9.

“To make it more enticing, and fair, we have decided to go with a tiered approach for their fundraising efforts,” she said.

All candidates will receive 15% of whatever they raise, whether from raffle ticket sales, food sales and all other fundraisers.

Candidates who raise $25,000 or more will receive a 20% cut of what they bring in; candidates who raise $50,000 or more will receive a 30% cut of their total.

“We want to highlight that candidates aren’t required to sell food — they can choose to focus solely on ticket sales if they prefer. Other fundraising options like car washes, bake sales or any combination are also welcome and count toward their totals.”

The annual fundraising for the chamber helps pay for the holiday fireworks and more.

Though royalty contestants in past years have always been individuals, it doesn’t have to be one person. “It can be a group or an organization,” including friends, church groups or sports teams, including nonprofits that use it as their own fundraising opportunity, Mason said.

Anyone interested in becoming a royalty candidate can email Mason at info@wrangellchamber.com, or call the chamber office at 907-874-3901, or stop by the office in the Nolan Center by the Friday afternoon deadline to fill out the paperwork.