Ellendale’s Second Annual Nation Night Out
The 2017 National Night Out is Tuesday, August 1, and Ellendale Neighborhood residents will once again be participating.
Setup begins around 4:30 p.m. with festivities officially starting at 6:00 p.m. Sunset on August 1 occurs at 8:11 and clean-up is expect to be completed by 9:00 p.m.
“We are hoping to have an even better evening than last year,” said Jacqi Kamp, Vice President of the Ellendale Neighborhood Association and lead organizer of the festivities.
“Like the first NNO, we will be using the space of Slay Park (west of McCausland) where the new trail runs along Ellendale Avenue, between Emilie and Arsenal Streets.”
The location was chosen for its visibility and ease of access. No streets will be closed during the event, so residents attending are reminded to use caution crossing streets and to use sidewalks and the connector trial to access the event.
There will be a popup canopies, lent to the event by residents, set up to serve as the central focal point of festivities. There will be a sidewalk chalk drawing contest as well as washer and bags games to play along with some other traditional skill games.
Throughout the evening there will also be visits from the local fire company and local law enforcement. Note: City fire and police vehicles visit several NNO events throughout the day and evening and are only available for about 30 minutes at each location. All agency vehicles are on-call and subject to be called away at any time.
“We are also encouraging residents to participate in National Night Out by turning on porch lights and getting out and talking with neighbors — a tradition of National Night Out since its beginning 34 years ago,” said Jacqi.
Residents visiting Ellendale’s celebration in Slay Park (west) may choose to bring a snack or side to share with others, bring lawn chairs, and/or simply have fun hanging out with fellow residents.
If you would like to volunteer or donate something to the event, please contact Jacqi Kamp (jacqi_beachler@yahoo.com or 314-303-0514).
What is National Night Out?
National Night Out is a nationwide event scheduled on the first Tuesday in August (www.natw.org). Many St. Louis area neighborhoods organize activities and participate in the program which is designed to:
heighten crime and drug prevention awareness
generate support for, and participation in, local anti-crime programs
strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships
While the traditional ‘lights on‘ and front porch vigils remain a part of NNO, activities have expanded considerably over the years to include block parties, cookouts, parades, visits from police, festivals, neighborhood walks, safety fairs, contests, rallies, and meetings.
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