In a showing of true community spirit, hundreds of neighbors, supporters, first responders, and Village staff gathered on Tuesday, August 4 at the Morton Grove Civic Center for Morton Grove’s National Night Out.
This 11th annual block party celebration, hosted by the Morton Grove Police Department, paid tribute to the National Night Out campaign in a local event promoting strong relationships between police officers and the neighbors they serve.
Morton Grove Police Chief Mike Weitzel said what began as a national initiative introduced in the mid-1980s has grown into a nationwide community engagement event held annually on the first Tuesday of August.
“It’s a chance for area residents to come out and meet their local police officers and firefighters, in a relaxed and informal setting- the same first responders you might meet under the most stressful circumstances when you need to ask for help,” Weitzel said.
The National Night Out program was free of charge, entertaining all ages from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., with kids’ activities, games, touch-a-truck, firefighter hose simulator, rock climbing, inflatable obstacle course, pony rides, safety demonstrations, live music, hot dogs, tacos and Kona ice, product giveaways, a raffle and more.
“This is one of our favorite events of the year, and we are always so impressed with the folks we have living here in our community,” Weitzel said.
Kaila Leslie of Morton Grove attended with family.
“We always enjoy National Night Out and wouldn’t miss the great block party and fun for our family and our kids while supporting the community,” Leslie said.
Community Liaison Officers Justin Jurasz and Sean Lang coordinated this year’s event.
Jurasz says the event provides a great opportunity for families to build strong relationships with each other and with the first responders who help keep their community safe.
Information tables were hosted by donors and by Village entities like the Library, Park District, Public Works, the Chamber of Commerce, and Village staff, along with community organizations and service providers like Cub Scouts Pack #228, BrightStar Care, senior art classes and chair yoga offered through the Civic Center, and CIT Illinois Therapy K9 comfort dogs all took part. Volunteers from the Citizens Police and Fire Academy Alumni Program also participated.
Several educational opportunities were also featured: representatives from the Glenview Public Safety Dispatch Center spoke with attendees about the role of telecommunication and 911 dispatchers, Animal Control Officer Kristin Smith provided information on pet safety and the importance of rabies vaccinations and microchipping, police officers demonstrated methods for drone use in law enforcement, search-and-rescue operations, traffic and crowd monitoring, suspect identification and tracking, vehicle crash reconstruction, and tactical support during emergency response, according to Jurasz.
The fire department also offered a hands-on demonstration, giving children the opportunity to learn how a fire hose is used to extinguish a small fire using the fire hose simulator.
More Top Picks Best Vacuums For Pet Hair
Village officials in attendance included Mayor Janine Witko, Trustees Connie Travis and Rita Minx, and Village Clerk Eileen Scanlon Harford. A representative from Cook County Commissioner Josina Morita’s office was also present, along with Police Chief Mike Weitzel and Fire Chief Dennis Kennedy.
Witko says National Night Out is about more than one night; it’s a reflection of the kind of community Morton Grove strives to be every day.
“We are proud of the men and women of the Morton Grove Police Department and the relationships they are building with our residents every day — when neighbors come together outside of an emergency, those connections grow stronger, making Morton Grove an even safer and more welcoming place to call home,” Witko said.
According to Weitzel, the success of the event is a testament to the dedication of countless, donors, volunteers, and community partners, all coming together to help bring this event to area families free of charge.
As a Morton Grove Police Officer for 14 years, Sean Lang says generally his interaction with people is on their worst days.
“An event like National Night Out is a good way to see the smiling faces of our area residents, and to let them know Police Officers are people too, and to do this while having a good time in a positive environment,” Lang said.
Gina Grillo is a freelancer for Pioneer Press.