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National Night Out: Event promotes importance of community

By Mary Owen

Five local parks and several neighborhoods will fill with Stayton and Sublimity residents concerned about neighborhood safety on National Night Out from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4.

The Stayton/Sublimity Police Department sponsors the 26th annual National Night Out in local neighborhoods.

“The Stayton Police Department has been active in this event for well over 10 years,” said Rich Sebens, action chief of police. “This year will be our fourth year to host barbecues in the parks.”

Local police officers, assisted by community members, will cook hamburgers and hot dogs for their neighbors at Pioneer, Santiam Station, Westown and Quail Run parks in Stayton and Settlers Park in Sublimity. Drinks will be provided, and picnickers are encouraged to bring a store-bought food item to share.

The 26th National Night Out, a unique crime/drug prevention event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch, is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 4 in cities nationwide.

Last year’s campaign involved citizens, law enforcement agencies, civic groups, businesses, neighborhood organizations and local officials from more than 15,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities and military bases worldwide. More than 37 million people participated in last year’s event.

National Night Out is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; generate support for and participation in local anticrime programs; strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships; and send a message to criminals to let them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

“The purpose of the event is to promote neighborhood watch and crime prevention through relationships,” Seben said. “When neighbors are familiar with each other and become acquainted, they feel comfortable asking each other to watch their homes and property.”

Neighbors also start to recognize their neighbors – and strangers who do not belong to the area.

“And hopefully call the police,” Seben said.

“Neighborhood Watch also plays an important role in child safety be having everyone watching when the kids are out playing in the neighborhood,” he added.

National Night out is not just to promote Neighborhood Watch, Seven said.

“It’s a way for citizens to interact with police officers and ask questions about crime prevention,” he explained. “It’s a way for them to interact with the police department and just find out who the officers are as people.

Fran Ward has been the coordinator of Stayton’s Neighborhood Watch for 10 years. She is heading a neighborhood gathering for Park and Division streets in Sublimity.

“We hope that all the neighbors will get to know each other better,” she said.

Julie Nadeau, who usually coordinates the neighborhood gathering at 15th and East Burnett, said for the first year, she and her neighbors are joining the Pioneer Park barbecue.

“It brings neighbors together,” she said of National Night Out. “It puts a face to a house, gives you more ownership in your neighborhood.”

Cutting crime comes from knowing your neighbors, she emphasized.

“Not that we don’t get any crime, but when it happens, it’s so short lived,” said Nadeau, who spends many hours handing out flyers and preparing for her neighborhood gathering each year. “It gives you a sense of security. To me, that’s worth the work.”

According to Sebens, about six neighborhood gatherings are held each year. Officers from the department also stop by these individual events to introduce themselves and talk briefly about Neighborhood Watch.

“If you are interested in hosting an event in your neighborhood, please contact the police department to let us know where your event is located,” Sebens said.

Donating supplies for this year’s park barbecues are:
Bi-Mart, Farmers Insurance (Michael Bochsler), Stayton Cooperative Telephone Co., Randy’s Towing, NORPAC, Freres Lumber Company and Sublimity Rural Fire District. To register a neighborhood event or for information, call 503-769-3423.