By ARABELLA SERRATA
Special to the PRESS
The National Night Out [NNO] is set to take place on Tuesday, Oct. 15 at Island Baptist Church. It will go from 5:30.- 8 p.m.
The City of South Padre Island announced on its social media platforms that the SPI Police Department would be hosting the event. It will bring together local law enforcement and community partnerships to create an “evening of food, music, games, and fun for all.”
According to the official NNO website, the event strives to build “ the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. Furthermore, it provides a great
opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.” Most places around the United States celebrate during August, but Texas, alongside a few others, has its event on the second Tuesday of October.
NNO was initially organized by Matt Peskin when he saw the need for organized communication among local watchdog groups. The first official NNO occurred in August 1984.
“National Night Out grew to become a celebration beyond just front porch vigils and symbolic efforts amongst neighbors to send a message of neighborhood camaraderie. Neighborhoods across the nation began to host block parties, festivals, parades, cookouts, and various other community events with safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel, exhibits, and more,” reads the website.
Island Baptist Church is located at 107 West Mesquite Street, South Padre Island. They can be contacted at (956) 761-5029 or info@islandbaptist.org. The Laguna Heights Food Pantry is located at 47428 TX-100,
Port Isabel. For more information on NNO, contact Officer Joseph Gonzalez at (956) 761-8126 or email him at Jogonzalez@myspi.org. The non-emergency line for SPIPD is (965) 761-5454 and can be contacted from
Monday through Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.