The Little Italy Neighborhood Watch

The next meeting is not really a meeting at all. The Little Italy Neighborhood Watch will be joining thousands of communities worldwide in the annual celebration of National Night Out.

Please join us on the first Tuesday of August (August 5, 2008) at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church at 643 West 17th Street from 6:00pm to 8:00pm for food, fun, music, and prizes. Admission is *F*R*E*E and, if past years are any indication, a splendid time is guaranteed for all.

Free food and beverages being served will include Smith’s Hot Dogs on Stroehmann buns, Coke and Pepsi products, Troyer Farms chips. Free tee-shirts will be given away. There will be crafts for the kids and Karaoke for everyone. Two lucky children will each win a brand new bicycle and someone will go home with a brand new air conditioner. Other prizes are in the works, including an assortment of gift certificates. The biggest prize last year was a money tree, but it has not yet been decided if a new television set or the money tree will be offered again this year. Either way, it’s a great prize!

Please join us to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the National Night Out. You’ll have fun, you’ll be fed, and you just might win a prize or two!

Date: Tuesday, August 5

Time: 6:00pm to 8:00pm

Place: Holy Trinity Lutheran Church at 643 West 17th St.

From the Neighborhood Association of Town Watch and National Night Out press kit, here is some background information:

The History of NATW & “National Night Out”

The National Association of Town Watch (NATW) is a nonprofit, crime prevention organization which works in cooperation with thousands of crime watch groups and law enforcement agencies throughout the country. Since 1981, NATW has been dedicated to the development, growth and maintenance of organized crime and drug prevention programs nationwide. NATW’s network has grown to include over 6,000 crime, drug and violence prevention organizations.

National Night Out, ‘America’s Night Out Against Crime,’ was introduced by the Association in 1984. The program was the brainchild of NATW Executive Director Matt A. Peskin. In an effort to heighten awareness and strengthen participation in local anticrime efforts, Peskin felt that a high-profile, high-impact type of crime prevention event was needed nationally. At that time, he noted that in a typical ‘crime watch community’, only 5 to 7% of the residents were participating actively. Due to the growth and success of these programs, he felt this percentage was too low. Subsequently, he proposed a national program which would be coordinated by local crime prevention agencies and organizations - but that would involve entire communities at one time. The first National Night Out was introduced early in 1984 - with the event culminating on the first Tuesday in August.

[…]

While the traditional ‘lights on’ and front porch vigils remain a part of NNO, activities have expanded considerably over the years to include block parties, cookouts, parades, visits from police, festivals, neighborhood walks, safety fairs, contests, rallies and meetings.

Peskin said, “It’s a wonderful opportunity for communities nationwide to promote police-community partnerships, crime prevention, and neighborhood camaraderie. While the one night is certainly not an answer to crime, drugs and violence, National Night Out does represent the kind of spirit, energy and determination that is helping to make many neighborhoods safer places throughout the year. It [NNO] is a night to celebrate safety and crime prevention successes - and to expand and strengthen programs for the next 364 days.”

The next meeting of the Little Italy Neighborhood Watch will be held on Tuesday, August 5th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 643 West 17th St. This one is a party to celebrate National Night Out, so bring lots of friends!

Despite the freezing rain, our March 4th meeting was well attended. Topics discussed included the final confirmation that the Gateway Rehabilitation Center would definitely not be relocating to the Little Italy neighborhood and the approval of Skate Erie to develop a skateboarding park in Columbus Park.

District Justice Tom Carney spoke about the Graffiti Squad that will be working to prevent the ever-growing plague of property defacements that have been spreading through the city. Other concerned members brought reports of hazardous property conditions and suspicions of criminal activities to the attention of the group, but most of the membership agreed along with the attending police officers that things have been generally quiet lately. The demolition of several dilapidated properties within the past few months, combined with the building of new homes in the neighborhood, is making Little Italy a neighborhood to be proud of once again.

New metal signs have been obtained to identify the Little Italy neighborhood as an active participant in the Weed and Seed program. The attractively designed signs will be prominently displayed as soon as suitable sites are agreed upon.

There was also a brief discussion of the upcoming annual Spring cleanup, with further details to be arranged later, most likely at the April 1st meeting.