Local community members came out to support the Nazareth Police Department and emergency services at the inaugural Nazareth National Night Out held from 6 to 9 p.m. on August 3 at the Nazareth Borough Park.
St. Luke’s University Health Network, Evening Sun Entertainment, K & J Party Rentals, VFW Post 4366, Giant Food Stores and Erin Roe sponsored the event.
Officer Raquel Santos of the Nazareth Police Department explained the importance of bringing the community out for events like this.
“Especially with COVID and everything that has been happening, I think it’s important to bring the community together to meet their emergency personnel,” Officer Santos said. “Nazareth hasn’t had this event ever; this is our first year ever doing it. We attempted to do it last year but because of COVID, we couldn’t do it. It’s extremely important because, again, this is a community, and this is all based on community. This event isn’t just Nazareth Borough, but it’s the neighboring jurisdictions as well. It’s important for our community to know who their emergency personnel are.”
The event had a live DJ for music, a bounce house for children to play in, a live demonstration by K9 Cash of the Lehigh Township K9 Unit, child ID kits with fingerprinting and local emergency service vehicles on display, including the St. Luke’s Helicopter.
“It takes a lot of getting in touch with local businesses (to put on an event like this),” Officer Santos said. “I want them to come out; I want them to promote their business as well as hand out giveaways, raffles, things of that sort. It involves getting your fire department, our Northampton County emergency vehicle; it involves getting everybody who is not participating in an NNO [National Night Out] to take time out of their day. This event is all volunteer.”
National Night Out is expected to be held next year.
