Blog: City Blog

Neighbors Don't Sweat National Night Out

Hundreds of Knoxville residents weathered the unseasonable heat to enjoy time with their neighbors during National Night Out celebrations held across the city on Oct. 1.

Nineteen Knoxville neighborhoods planned events for the annual celebration of neighborly connectivity, police-community relations and community safety.

Mayor Rogero joined Knoxville Police Department officers, Knoxville Fire Department crews and a variety of non-profit organizations and local businesses at four of the events.

South Haven Neighborhood Association and Lindbergh Forest Neighborhood Association collaborated with Hillcrest United Methodist Church on an event held at Southland Square Apartments.

Kelley Deluca of the Lindbergh Forest Neighborhood Association staffed the Random Nickname Generator booth and helped guests generate special NNO names and name tags that put everyone in the spirit of public safety.

South Haven Neighborhood Group member Gail Atherton (a.k.a. Detective Crosswalk, below, right) helped plan the event and bring together a variety of neighbors to volunteer, donate, staff booths, paint faces, and show up to just enjoy themselves.

Sam Tobea, owner of the nearby Round Up Restaurant donated hamburgers with all the fixings and ice cream cones.

DJ Dennis Gann played tunes that inspired neighbors of all ages to dance.

DJ Gann

Just a few miles down the road, the Vestal Community Organization took advantage of the shade at the Mary Vestal Park picnic shelter to grill hot dogs and hold a cake walk.

Vestal neighbors

Mayor Rogero spoke with several neighbors including KPD Officer Jonathon Clabough, Yvonne Stephens and Eric Johnson.

The heat was letting up a bit as the Mayor arrived at Norwood Neighborhood Watch's potluck in the parking lot of Norwood United Methodist Church. Upon arrival, she met a new Norwood neighbor named Pumpkin Spice, who had just joined his forever family earlier that day.

Mayor Rogero also had the opportunity to thank KPD Officer Eric Parks for his service to the Norwood neighborhood and present him a proclamation declaring it Officer Eric Parks Day. Four Norwood residents nominated Officer Parks for the first-ever Office of Neighborhoods Officer Liaison of the Year Award, and he was named the winner.

As the sun set (and our camera battery gave up the ghost), Northwest Hills Neighborhood Watch members socialized and enjoyed multiple kinds of chili in the backyard of Patricia Roberts. The newly established neighborhood watch welcomed guests, gave out door prizes and even did a small amount of official business.

sundown at northwest hills

We appreciate all the neighborhoods that participated in National Night Out:

Chilhowee Park Neighborhood Association, Dandridge Avenue Neighborhood Watch, Glasglow Rd., Harrill Hills Neighborhood Watch, Inskip Community Association/ACI, Laurel Place Condos, Lindbergh Forest Neighborhood Association, Mechanicsville Community Association, Montgomery Village Resident Association, Montrose Court, Northwest Hills Neighborhood Watch, Norwood Neighborhood Watch, Old North Knoxville Inc., Seven Springs Home Owners Association, South Haven Neighborhood Association, Spring Hill Villas Homeowners Association, Vestal Community Organization, View Park Neighborhood Watch, and Wooddale/Central Neighborhood Watch.

Posted by ptravis On 04 October, 2019 at 2:23 PM