By Lisa ZahnerFELLSMERE — As part of the 2009 National Night Out Program, the Fellsmere Police Department invites all residents to enjoy an evening of fun and games from 5 to 8 p.m. August 4 at 22 N. Orange St. in front of the Old Fellsmere School.Police cars, fire vehicles and safety displays will offer hands-on demonstration and education. There will be a dunk tank, games, food, raffles, giveaways and a bounce house for the kids. The event is being held in conjunction with community leaders, civic groups and organizations throughout the Fellsmere area and invites citizens countywide to join us in Giving Crime & Drugs A Going Away Party. Also, from 7 to 10 p.m. on August 4, residents in neighborhoods throughout Fellsmere and across the nation are asked to lock their doors, turn on outside lights and spend the evening outside with neighbors and police.
National Night Out 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 organizing and fighting back. ‘America’s Night Out Against Crime,’ was introduced by the National Association of Town Watch in 1984 to heighten awareness and strengthen participation in local anticrime efforts.
That first year, 400 communities in 23 states participated in National Night Out. Nationwide, 2.5 million Americans took part in 1984. The seed had been planted. In subsequent years, participation has grown steadily. The 25th Annual National Night Out last August involved 37 million people in 15,449 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities, and military bases worldwide.The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call (772) 571-1360.Close to 16,000 communities are expected to take part. Visit www.nationalnightout.org to find out more about the program.