An estimated 10,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities and military bases, participated in National Night Out.
Juana Hernandez, right, poses with her mother, Natividad Hernandez, at the National Night Out event Tuesday at Allen Park Apartments.
SPRINGFIELD - A year ago Juana Hernandez was new to her Allen Park neighborhood and just amazed at the size of the neighborhood’s National Night Out festivities.
There were so many people that she said she just stood and watched it all.
This year Hernandez volunteered to help organize the event and get everything running.
“It’s awesome!” she said. “It’s absolutely great.”
She and her family moved to Allen Park Apartments, off Allen Street in Sixteen Acres, about 18 months ago.
She credits the event last year with helping her to get to know some of her neighbors and swelling everyone’s sense of pride and belonging to the neighborhood.
“It’s something for the kids to do outside, and everyone can come over and get to know who’s here,” she said.
Linda Ferranti of Winn Residental Management, the property managers for Allen Park Apartments said the event has been a highlight of the summer going back eight years, drawing around 400 people each year.
Working the grill, Ferranti said she ordered 600 hot dogs, 600 hamburgers and trays of rice, ziti and other fixings.
“So far, so good,” she said.
Although there is nothing simple about the preparation - it takes weeks to arrange all the food, the two bounce houses, face painter and DJ - the event is a simple way for neighbors to meet neighbors, she said.
Across the county, neighborhoods were hosting similar events as part of the annual mid-summer rally against crime and violence.
An estimated 10,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities and military bases around the world participated or about 40 million people in all.
The Allen Park celebration was one of five separate Night Out events in Springfield.
08/02/11-Springfield-Staff Photo by Dave Roback- Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno reaches around Susan Sota of the Indian Orchard Citizens Council to shake the hand of Indian Orchard Community Police Officer Joseph Piemonte during the National Night Out program at Hubbard Park in Indian Orchard on Tuesday. Event were also held at the Seniority House on Chestnut Street, Worthington Commons on Worthington Street, East Springfield and Indian Orchard.
Sgt. John Delaney, aide to Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet, said Commissioner Fitchet is committed to the program as a way for the department to establish ties with the public, he said.
“We want people to know there is a bond between the police and the public,” he said.
People who feel a connection with their neighbors and with the police, they are less likely to look the other way when there is trouble
“This is kind of a going-away party for crime and violence,” he said.
Kalise Anthony who was there with her 7-year-old son, Mekai, and some friends, said the National Night Out event is a great time.
“We come every year,” she said.
“The kids get to know each other, and all the parents get to know each other’s kids,” she said.
Springfield police officer Rafael Vega sits on his Piaggio motor scooter at Tuesday's National Night Out event at Allen Park Apartments. He said the event is so great they should have it twice a year.Springfield police officer Rafael Vega, perched on one of the department’s Piaggio three-wheel motor scooters, said it is a great event for police to mix with members of the public.
A member of the department’s ordinance enforcement squad, Vega said most of the time when he is meeting people at their homes it is to enforce city ordinances about mowing the grass or removing an abandoned car from the front lawn.
“Ninety percent of the time, it’s a negative encounter,” he said. “This is totally positive.”
“They ought to do it twice a year,” he said.