High Springs National Night Out a “great success”

  HIGH SPRINGS – High Springs' National Night Out (NNO) was a major event for children and their families Tuesday, Aug. 2.  
Although the event was scheduled to run from 6 – 8 p.m., several hundred people began showing up at 5 p.m. and children's face painting had to be stopped at 8:30 p.m. due to lack of light.  
  “It was a great success,” said High Springs Police Department Sgt. Adam Joy, the event organizer.  “A lot more people came out this year.  The High Springs Country Inn donated 400 bottled water and Gatorade drinks, but we ran out and had to get more.”
  He estimated more than 500 people flocked to Citizen's Field to take part in NNO fun and games.
  According to the National Night Out website, this event is an “annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make neighborhoods safer, better places to live.”
  NNO is held the first Tuesday of August in neighborhoods across all 50 states, United States territories, Canadian cities and military bases worldwide.
“Several civic clubs, organizations and businesses donated time, money and effort to make this a memorable night for kids and their families,” said Joy.
Game booths were set up by the GFWC High Springs New Century Woman's Club and Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe with prizes awarded to participants.  The High Springs Masonic Lodge took photos and created free identification cards for kids.  Global Impact Charities gave away school supplies.
  Kids were treated to free hamburgers, hot dogs and buns provided by the High Springs Police Department, the Woman's Club and Winn-Dixie Supermarket.  The High Springs Fire Department and the High Springs Lions Club handled grilling duties.
Jumping Jack Bounce House and jumbo slide were provided by the High Springs Chamber of Commerce and were available for kids with energy to burn.  The Chamber also set up a coloring table for kids to color and play, while music was provided by Music in the Park's Michael Loveday.
  Gift certificates for raffle drawings were provided by Alice's Parkside Restaurant, Great Outdoors Restaurant and Pizza to Go.
Fire trucks and police cruisers were provided for kids to crawl through and see up close.
“All in all,” said Joy, “it was a great success and the kids really seemed to have a good time.”

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