Join in National Night Out Aug. 7
West Chicago, Illinois: July 24, 2012 – For the past 23 years, the City of West Chicago has participated in an evening of community solidarity which emphasizes police/community partnerships, crime prevention and neighborhood camaraderie. Residents are asked to lock their doors, turn on their outside lights and spend an evening with neighbors and police at National Night Out, scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 7 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Reed-Keppler Park located at 129 W. National St. Music, free food, soft drinks and gifts will be part of the celebration.
This year, Officer Tony Quarto is coordinating the event and shared the enthusiastic response he received to a call for volunteers to help with the planning, logistics and day of event duties. “This is one event that our community feels strongly about and supports whole-heartedly. They know it's not only a great time, it's also community building.”
The National Association of Town Watch, supported in part by Target, sponsors the annual crime and drug prevention event that is known across the country as National Night Out. It is designed to: heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; generate support for, and participation in, local anticrime efforts; strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships; and send a message to criminals letting them know neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.
“More than ever, strong communities must be prepared to face the challenges that are present in our world today. A program like National Night Out succeeds in heightening awareness and strengthening participation in local anticrime efforts,” said West Chicago Acting Mayor Ruben Pineda.
West Chicago's Police Chief Laz Perez acknowledges the success of the program in bringing multiple community stakeholders together to celebrate community spirit and reaffirm the commitment to work together on crime prevention initiatives. “Residents, law enforcement personnel, City leaders, businesses and services clubs develop and strengthen relationships while sharing an evening of fun; and just as importantly, it's an opportunity for youth in the community to interact with our police officers and develop bonds of trust and respect that will hopefully last a lifetime.”
To learn more about the National Association of Town Watch and the history of National Night Out, visit www.nationalnightout.org.
View a great slideshow of the 2011 National Night Out: http://www.westchicago.org/Slideshows/projectNNO2011/index.html