Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping Scan - Register your neighborhood for National Night Out - 7/5/2008Register your neighborhood for National Night Out
°a n,Prira °c Night Out Against Crime' celebrates its 25th year on Aug. 5
by Erin Johnson
THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
National Night Out, the
ultimate get -to -know -your -
neighbors event, is now
open for registration in Ea-
gan.
As of July 1, neighbor-
hoods that plan to celebrate
the event, also known as
"America's Night Out
Against Crime," can regis-
ter with the Eagan Police
Department.
The first 105 neighbor-
hoods that register will re-
ceive a four -pack of Twins
tickets, as well as a visit by
the police and fire depart-
ments during their celebra-
tions.
National Night out will
be held Tuesday, Aug. 5.
From 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., citi-
zens are asked to spend the
evening outside with their
neighbors, presenting a
united front against crime.
This year, National Night
Out celebrates its 25th an-
niversary nationwide, with
more than 32 million people
expected to participate.
Eagan began celebrating
the event in 1998 with about
20 participating neighbor-
hoods. Last year, 149 neigh-
borhoods registered their
celebrations with the city.
Neighborhoodifrom I A
Eagan police. It heightens
awareness of crime, strength-
ens neighborhood spirit and
community/police partner-
ships, and sends a message to
criminals that Eagan neigh-
borhoods are organized and
working to deter crime.
Neighborhood celebra-
tions run the gamut from
ice cream socials to pizza
parties to potlucks, said Jill
Ondrey, crime prevention
specialist with the Eagan
Police Department.
Some neighborhoods go
all out, renting large, inflat-
able jumpers for kids or hir-
ing bands to perform, while
others simply pull lawn
chairs out in front of their
"It's the absolute best way
to meet your neighbors and
get that sense of community,
and it really is one of the
best crime -prevention events
we do through the year," On-
drey said.
Applications are available
at the Eagan Police Depart-
ment during business hours,
homes and enjoy a cold bev-
erage, she said.
"It's anything under the
sun you can think of — any-
thing out of the ordinary
that would entice neighbors
to come out," she said.
Co-sponsored by the Ea-
gan Citizen's Crime Preven-
tion Association, National
Night Out serves an impor-
tant purpose, according to
See Neighborhood, 5A
or at the city's Web site at
www.cityofeagan.com/po-
lice. Look for the link to Na-
tional Night Out.
For more information,
call Jill Ondrey at (651) 675-
5727.
Erin Johnson is at eagan.
thisweek@ecm-inc. com.