National Night Out -Tuesday, October 3 – UPDATED 10/1

Mary Jane Farmer | September 30, 2023 | Reply

Story and photos (from past years) by Mary Jane Farmer, for the Van Alstyne News

In this, the 40th anniversary year of the establishment of National Night Out, Van Alstyne Police are hosting its yearly community gathering from 6-8 p.m. this Tuesday, Oct. 3. The full event will be held at the Central Social District park downtown. Van Alstyne Fire Department also will be out, as those first-responders work often with the police officers, helping with Van Alstyne residents’ and visitors’ safety and well-being.

Two then-new members of the police and fire departments learned quite a bit about dancing from this young lady and others who joined her. – Pre-2020 NNO

City Event Planner Kandi Hessell invites everyone to get involved. “Bring your family and friends out to the Central Social District Park for a night of free fun.”
In addition to meeting all the peace officers and first responders, there will be free train rides, bounce houses, face painting, hot dogs, and other fun activities. “A Care Flight helicopter will be on site, along with the city’s police cars driven around to protect and serve our wonderful community,” Hessell said. Also on hand will be many of the city’s ambulances and fire trucks. Big Dave with Mad Rock 102.5 radio station, who will also be broadcasting live. “Giveaways and fun for the whole family – you won’t want to miss this event!” Kessell added.
Another media said there will be a tug-of-war between police and fire officers, but that is not confirmed. NOW CONFIRMED: This tug-of-war will be at 7 p.m., inside the park.
It will be, at the least, Van Alstyne’s 24th year of involvement. Police Chief Tim Barnes said it was Justice of the Peace Precinct 2 David Hawley, then a high-ranking deputy with the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office, who organized NNO in this

A Van Alstyne policeman drove the traditional train filled with children through the night – About 2017

county.
National Night Out is parented by the National Association of Town Watch, organized in 1984. All cities, including Texas’ towns then, across the United States celebrated NNO on the first Tuesday of August.
For the law enforcement agencies in Grayson County and all of Texas, August was, and still is, an extremely hot time, and thus the NATW designated that Texas’ NNOs be held the first Tuesday in October. Van Alstyne PD switched over that first year, and it remains on the first Tuesday every October.
“NNO enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement in a true sense of community. Furthermore, it provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances” – National Night Out Click Here for its Website

The kids are allowed nowadays to get into patrol cars now as they were in years past.

Police Chief Tim Barnes said, “It’s (NNO) just been a long tradition with our community. It’s a great event that brings the community and the department(s) together and at no (taxpayer) expense.”

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