The communities of Monroe, Sultan and Gold Bar are busily preparing for this year's National Night Out Against Crime community-building events, with each locale offering a special feature or two that make its event unique.
National Night Out is a nationwide police and community relationship-building campaign that began in the early 1980s as a way to promote crime prevention and foster partnerships between the community and its law enforcement officers.
NNO is held every year on the first Tuesday in August, and boasts participation in more than 16,000 communities across all 50 states. National Night Out 2016 takes place Tuesday, Aug. 2. NNO events are free to attend, family-friendly, and typically provide food, activities, games and information.
Monroe
The sheer volume of Monroe's event is what makes it remarkable. One of the largest NNO events in the state, Monroe's National Night Out celebration brings thousands of people to Lake Tye Park every year. Organized by former Monroe Rotary Club president Sally Petty, along with a team of volunteers, Monroe's NNO is a Rotary and Monroe Police Department collaboration.
The event is supported by the Monroe Fire Department, the Monroe Parks Department and the city of Monroe. It boasts around 80 different vendors, each providing different activities, games, prizes and more.
This year's event will feature face-painting, balloon animals, K9 demonstrations, car seat safety, DUI goggles, emergency response vehicles, a scavenger hunt and the Monroe High School cheerleaders. The event will be emceed by Jerry "Big DogGÇ¥ Dixon, local business owner and DJ.
Several mascots will be on hand to dazzle kids, including the Monroe Bearcat, McGruff the Crime Dog, Sparky the Fire Dog and Tracker.
In addition to its size, another popular feature of Monroe's event is the food. The event is not only offering free hot dogs, but also free pizza from Sahara Pizza Monroe, sno-cones, cookies and popcorn from Les Schwab.
Monroe's NNO event has come a long way. Formerly organized by the Monroe Police Department, it was cancelled in 2008 due to a funding shortfall. Petty had participated in National Night Out in 2007 as a new business owner, and felt it was an impactful and cost-effective way to get her insurance business out in front of the community.
When she went to sign up for a booth in 2008, she was disappointed to learn the event had been cancelled. After learning that it wouldn't take place in 2009 either, she decided to take action. Petty was the incoming Monroe Rotary Board president at the time, so she approached the Rotary Board of Directors, letting them know the police department needed somebody to spearhead the event.
She asked the board to consider taking ownership. It agreed, committing to provide financial and logistical support.
Subsequently, the 2009 event was planned by the Rotary, in collaboration with the city and the police and the fire departments. It was a success, Petty said, and it has continued to grow and evolve ever since.
"The very first year of rotary doing this we had about 30 booths, and we thought that that was pretty spectacular,GÇ¥ she said. "Every year we seem to stretch it a little bit more and a little bit more, but we're usually at capacity right about 80 or so, and that includes the fire department.GÇ¥
Petty has a core group of volunteers that help plan the event, including Sky Valley Food Bank Director Neil Watkins and Pastor Michael Hanford. Monroe Parks Department staffer Denise Jacobson orchestrates vendor booth locations, arranging them on a map and keeping everything organized. Monroe's Sgt. Ryan Irving also plays a key role in planning the event.
Petty and Irving were both given 2014 Monroe Police Department Distinguished Service Awards to recognize their contributions to National Night Out.
Petty loves the essence of the event, which embraces community and police partnerships, something that is very much a part of the Monroe community already, she said. The event gives them the opportunity to really highlight that relationship, she added.
"This event helps us to show them that we're on their side and that police are still the good guys and the heroes,GÇ¥ Petty said. "It just reminds me of how blessed we are to live in Monroe, and how great of a community we truly have.GÇ¥
It's also about gratitude, Petty said.
"It gives us a chance to thank them, publicly, for their service, and to kind of see what a day in their life looks like as well,GÇ¥ Petty said.
Parking will be available at Fairfield County Park, located directly south of the event. High school students interested in earning community service hours or members of the community hoping to volunteer during the event can contact Petty at spett2@amfam.com or 206-714-2359.
"We anticipate attendance to be between four and five thousand people,GÇ¥ Petty said. "We just want people to come and enjoy themselves.GÇ¥
Gold Bar
Gold Bar's National Night Out event is unique in the Sky Valley in that it's the only NNO that offers a parade, which kicks off 6:30 p.m. at the Gold Bar Family Grocer.
Led by Sgt. First Class Dave Sivewright, also known as the Highway 2 Freedom Runner, the parade travels west down Lewis Avenue until it reaches Gold Bar Elementary School.
Gold Bar's night out event is organized by the city of Gold Bar in partnership with the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office. The event will include a static display of police and fire vehicles, crime prevention tips, hot dogs and other free refreshments, a bouncy house and on-site prescription drug disposal.
Families are invited to come interact with deputies from the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office, firefighters from Snohomish County Fire District 26 and officers from the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife.
This year's sponsors include the Gold Bar Family Grocer, the Mann Gas Station, Mountain Valley Chapel and the Sultan School District. Gold Bar Elementary School is at 419 Lewis Ave. in Gold Bar.
Sultan
Still in its infancy, Sultan's night out event is being organized by the Sultan Community Alliance with support from the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office, Snohomish County Fire District 5, the Volunteers of America (VOA) Sky Valley Services Center and the city of Sultan. This is the second year that the Sultan Community Alliance has organized an NNO event for Sultan.
The food makes Sultan's event something special. The community-building celebration will feature free barbecue from 2-1/2 Men BBQ, with is locally owned and operated.
They will also have a bicycle giveaway.
Other participants include Snohomish County Search and Rescue, the American Red Cross, Sultan VFW Post #2554, EvergreenHealth, Snohomish County Public Utility District the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management, the Washington State Patrol and the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Sultan residents Gerry and Bonnie Gibson will be on hand representing their nonprofit, the Gibby and Nino Home Fire Prevention Campaign, giving away free smoke detectors to anyone in need.
The event will include a community photo taken at 7 p.m. to commemorate the occasion.
For more information about the event, visit this shortened link: http://bit.ly/2aiQJ1Z.The Monroe High School cheerleaders traditionally play a big part in National Night Out, last year operating a photo booth for guests.Gold Bar's National Night Out event starts off every year with a parade, featuring the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office, Snohomish County Fire District 26, Gold Dust Royalty and many others. For the third year in a row, the parade will be led by Sgt. First Class Dave Sivewright, who is known by many as the Highway 2 Freedom Runner.ultan resident Sabella Johnson enjoyed Sultan's 2015 National Night Out event, which included firefighters from Snohomish County Fire District 5 and a garbage pickup contest at the end of the night that gave kids the chance to earn candy for picking up garbage.
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