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Aim is to get people involved in community
Published 8/5/2009 in Local News
By RACHAEL GRAY
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Laurie Sisk/Telegram — Children play under the falling water from a Garden City Fire Department firehose during the National Night Out Against Crime on Wednesday night at Stevens Park.
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Laurie Sisk/Telegram — Hazen Rydquist, 2, visits with McGruff the Crime Dog Tuesday night as his mother, Erin Rydquist, looks on during the National Night Out event at Stevens Park.
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Laurie Sisk/Telegram — Garden City Police Department Motor Patrol Officer Gabriel Calvillo shows Jim Pinto, 9, lights and sirens Tuesday night on one of the department motorcycles during the National Night Out event at Stevens Park.
Abraham Rodriguez borrowed his mom's van Tuesday night, loaded it full of friends and neighborhood children, and drove down to Stevens Park for National Night Out.
The night, in its 26th year nationally, is an annual block party that involves citizens, law enforcement agencies, civic groups, businesses and neighborhood organizations in a focused effort toward drug and crime prevention in communities.
The National Night Out happens each year on the first Tuesday of August, and the first Garden City event was in 1998.
Rodriguez attended the event for the first time Tuesday and said it was plenty of fun for the friends and children he brought with him.
"I really liked the softball throw because it showed you your throwing speed. But I did get beat by a girl," he said.
The event in the park featured live music from bands Trained Monkey and Fiz Gig, a K-9 police dog demonstration, children's activities, a National Guard Humvee, raffle prizes and hamburgers, hot dogs, soda and chips served by Target.
Master Patrol Officer Troy Davis coordinates the police participation in the event. He said there are two ways community members can get involved in National Night Out.
"People can either throw their own block parties in their neighborhoods, or they can join us in the park," he said.
Davis said the block parties are inspired by neighborhood watch and crime prevention programs.
"It's important to know and spend time with your neighbors," Davis said. "This night brings people out of their homes and lets neighbors know and meet one another."
Debbie Amos brought her three granddaughters to Stevens Park.
"It's nice to interact with the police officers here in the park. It's great to see them in a relaxed atmosphere," she said.
Amos' daughter, Alexis Eackles, 8, said she enjoyed the activities around the park.
"My favorite was playing in the water," she said.
The Garden City Fire Department had a hose spewing water for kids to play in. Alexis' cousin, Aubrey Hahn, 9, agreed that the fire hose was her favorite part of the evening.
Sable Eackles, 10, sister to Alexis and cousin to Aubrey, said her favorite part was the softball throw that measured the speed of the throw.
"I like it because you win no matter what," she said.
Target provided food and Target employees helped run activities in the park.
Staci Wedermeyer, assistant store manager, said she was pleased with the turnout of the event.
"Every year, we watch it grow," she said.
Wedermeyer said her favorite part is the community interaction.
"It's great that people can come here and interact with people or neighbors they aren't familiar with. The police provide a really relaxed setting that is inviting to any member of the community," she said.
On Glenellen Drive, neighbors had their own block party.
Marsha and David Rupp have hosted their annual block party since the police held the first Night Out in Garden City in 1998. David Rupp used to work at the police station back when block parties and neighborhood watches became popular, he said.
The Rupps said they had a good turnout this year with about 30 neighbors in attendance.
"It's easy to do," Marsha Rupp said. "I just set up tables and chairs in my driveway, and people come and fill the tables with food."
"People know it's block party time when I start showing up door to door with the fliers," she said.
The Rupps had an inflatable castle set up on a neighbor's yard for neighborhood children to jump in.
David Rupp said he likes having the block party in his neighborhood to get the cops into his neighborhood.
"I think it's important that they come out and meet the people. And we appreciate that," he said.
Rupp said one thing keeps him and his wife throwing the block party each year.
"It's for the children," he said. "They keep asking for it, so we keep throwing it."
On the Web:
Garden City Police Department: www.gcpolice.org
Listen to a podcast with the Garden City Police Department about what to do after National Night Out to make your community safer. Join us at 3:30 p.m. today at Patrick Dugans Coffee House, or listen online starting this evening at GCTelegram.com/podcasts.
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