Bringing the community together
Published 8:21 pm Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Go out and meet your neighbors today.
Police agencies throughout the county are hosting the National Night Out, an annual crime prevention event encouraging people to build stronger communities.
“The best form of crime prevention is to get to know each other. That’s the best way to keep crime out of your neighborhood,” Lynnwood police spokeswoman Shannon Sessions said.
Police in Lynnwood will be registering neighborhood watch groups in 24 different locations. A map with pins at the Lynnwood library shows where activities are scheduled.
People come to the National Night Out to learn about what’s going on in their community, Sessions said.
Getting to know your neighbors is important not just for fighting crime, she said. Neighbors who know each other will know who needs to be taken care of in case of emergencies.
In Everett, the South Everett Community Center has hosted its own National Night Out for about eight years now, said coordinator Alla Geychenko. The focus is on immigrants.
“It brings the community together,” she said. “We think it’s very important. People who come to this country are often isolated from the community.”
The center always plans activities for kids, snacks and entertainment. Police or fire officials came to speak at the past gatherings. Information is available in Russian and Spanish, Geychenko said. About 400 people turn up every year, many return.
Most of the center’s clients don’t speak English well, Geychenko said. They can still be good partners in the community when given access to information in their native language. During the National Night Out, the center becomes a hub for that information.
Language barriers within a community often prevent people from creating bonds, Geychenko said. Over the years, she watched immigrants from Russia and Ukraine meet new friends and slowly make Everett their home.
Thousands of people in communities across the country will come out tonight to meet their neighbors and help fight crime.
Katya Yefimova: 425-339-3452, kyefimova@heraldnet.com.
National Night Out events
National Night Out happenings throughout the county include:
Everett: Southeast corner of the Top Foods parking lot, 1605 SE Everett Mall Way, from 5 to 8:00 p.m.
Mill Creek: McCollum Park from 5 to 7 p.m.
Monroe: Lake Tye Park from 6 to 9 p.m.
Mountlake Terrace: Evergreen Playfield Complex, 22205 56th Avenue West, from 6 to 9 p.m.
Lake Stevens: Downtown from 5 to 9 p.m.
Lynnwood: Various locations throughout town from 5 p.m. until dark. For more information call 425-760-5635.
Snohomish: Snohomish Boys &Girls Club from 4 to 8 p.m. Bring canned soup. Police will collect donations for the food bank.
