Successful National Night Out

The City’s third annual National Night Out held at Lincoln Park was a huge success with over 1200 attending the event. The Light & Power boom truck reverently raised the big flag to kick off the celebration and the bucket truck was ready and waiting to lift excited kids high over the park filled with the giant jump castle and slide and booths full of fun things for families and children.

A sanctioned skateboard competition drew over 60 boarders and many spectators. The competitors enjoyed interaction with Officer Moser in a positive way. Vendor booths with everything from crafts to cotton candy were set up with banners waving a bright welcome. Everything was free, free, free. The food lines were long but diners had great attitudes and expressed to Chamber’s Teri Koener and Pete Van Dyke many times over how much they enjoyed the event. That kept them smiling through it all as they cooked and served over 800 hot dogs. Dessert was 13 big sheet cakes donated and served by Robin and Leonard Caccincarro.

Officers patiently fit little heads into hundreds of bright helmets designed with frogs and butterfly decals donated by the Knights of Pythias. Small, shy smiles and tiny voices whispering “thank you” to the officers floated on the breeze that blew through the trees on a perfect summer night for National Night Out. Music was donated by our local Beatle’s Tribute Band, Revolver, and the solo performance was by Portland musician, Michael Castenello.

It was pure poetry to watch the teamwork between the departments as the Parks department groomed and set up the grounds. Scott and Greg had a handle on the details.  Light and Power’s rigs rolled in early loaded with heavy stacks of chairs and tables that Steve and Jason set up and later returned to retrieve it all. They even loaded and returned the popcorn machine for the tired Community Service Officers. Fire, with Matt and Scott in the lead, pitched in to do everything from load and transport to set up and tear down. Our Strong Man, Officer McCutchen, lifted and moved generators and tents while other officers worked side by side to load and unload supplies, 30 bales of ice, hundreds of sodas and food – all discounted by Grande Foods. Rotary’s Ed Stadelman worked early and stayed late setting up and tearing down all the canopies they loaned to us for the event. Boy Scout Troop 213, neighbors, business owners, city staff, the list is huge of all those who pitched in to make this the great event it was for 2010. 

This is what it takes to promote healthy, crime free neighborhoods that come together to celebrate the great community that is our Forest Grove.