By Raymond Tyler
The second Tuesday in August is always highlighted on my Summer calendar for National Night Out. For those that don’t know, National Night Out is an annual event that takes place in cities great and small across the country and brings the community out in all 50 states. More importantly National Night Out brings out local law enforcement to meet and socialize with the communities they serve.
For the record, I could give you a few reasons why each city should have National Night out monthly, quarterly or twice a year.
This year I was able to see and hear the sights and sounds from my home town of Atlantic City.
I am happy to report it was a beautiful late afternoon/early evening at Pop Lloyd’s BaseBall Stadium. The police and fire departments were out with smiles and engaging the people of Atlantic City. Officers in uniform were shaking hands, and sharing laughs. Police were cooking hamburgers and hotdogs and there were even police DJing great music through out the night.
Perhaps the coolest part for myself and the other nine year olds of all ages, were the police/fire emergency vehicles. Kids, big kids, old kids, and even Shore Local columnists got to walk through fire trucks, sit in police cars and I sat in something that I assume came from Homeland Security Surplus that looked like a tank and a police car had a baby. They also let us push all he cool buttons that make the sirens make noise and light up!
Police interacting with the residents is fun and important. The best part of National Night Out is the aspect of seeing so many families out for a free and safe night.I recall when there were many more things to do with family that were free or low cost. So it warmed my heart to see families just enjoying Atlantic City, our oldest baseball field and each other. There were kids in the inflatable bouncers just jumping…as well as kids too big jumping anyway (no Shore Local Columnists though.
The best thing about National Night Out for me is seeing friends and family I don’t get to see and socialize with as much as I used too. Second best thing is when those friends tell me “I saw your story in Shore Local…keep up the good work.”
With over 800 people in attendance all enjoying the sun and the summer. Some leaving with free bikes, some leaving with free t-shirts, some leaving with information they needed and some leaving with a hotdog or hamburger…I believe all left with great memories of Summer in AC 2019.
You can connect with Raymond Tyler via Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram @RaymondTyler2018.
