BELLEFONTE — On Tuesday, Aug. 5, the Borough of Bellefonte is stepping into a nationwide tradition with heart, community and a dunk tank.
The town’s first official National Night Out kicks off at Talleyrand Park from 5 to 8 p.m., bringing together law enforcement, emergency services, local leaders and families for an evening of food, fun and community conversation.
While Spring Township has hosted National Night Out events in the past, this marks the Bellefonte Police Department’s first time organizing one independently. And according to Officer Todd Walter, it’s not just about hot dogs and helicopters.
“It creates conversation,” Walter said. “What’s going well? What’s going bad? What could be fixed? It’s designed to get people involved in the community. It’s a nationwide program where the community is encouraged to get out and interact with each other, local law enforcement, local community leaders, local emergency services and just get out of the house and talk.”
“We’re going to have community leaders. We’re going to have county leaders, state representatives, council members there, police, fire, EMS. We’re going to have all these folks together and try to create some conversation from the community.”
National Night Out is celebrated on the first Tuesday of August across the country. Its aim is to foster positive relationships between residents in the neighborhoods and the people sworn to protect them. While every community puts its own spin on the event, the mission remains the same: community connection.
“We want to find out what the community wants with issues in the community,” Walter said. “This puts us on the community level. A human level. We are part of the community.”
That’s the heart of the event. While the evening promises plenty of kid-friendly attractions with a petting zoo, face painting, emergency vehicle tours and even a visit from a Life Flight helicopter, the focus is firmly on fostering a deeper understanding between Bellefonte’s residents and its police officers.
“We want people to feel comfortable telling us what’s going on in their neighborhood,” Walter said. “If there’s an issue going on that we don’t know about, some people may be reluctant to call us and say, ‘hey, here’s some issues that are going on.’ This gets them out talking to us freely.”
The community aspect doesn’t stop with who’s attending. It extends to who’s making it happen. Sponsorships for the event have been covered entirely by local individuals and local small businesses.
“Our sponsorship for this is all local,” Walter said. “It’s local people, local folks in the community, business owners in the community who want to sponsor and want to make sure this goes off really well.”
Even the dunk tank has some hometown flair. Centre County Prothonotary Jeremy Breon has volunteered to be the unlucky target, offering attendees the rare opportunity to soak a county official in the name of public service.
Attendees can also expect free hot dogs, drinks, popcorn and family-friendly games at nearly every booth. Domestic Relations and other county services will be on hand to share resources and offer lighthearted activities like cornhole and games.
The Life Flight helicopter will still be available for public viewing, giving families a chance to see the kind of equipment emergency responders use. Police vehicles and fire trucks will also be available for community members to view.
There will also be plenty of action for the kids. There will be face painting, a petting zoo, games, free hot dogs and lots of goodies.
Walter hopes the event will spark ideas and enthusiasm that will carry over into future years. His vision? A version of National Night Out hosted in multiple Bellefonte neighborhoods, block-party style, with cones set up and cookouts lighting up the town.
“We want it to be something where everyone is getting together, talking and enjoying themselves for a few hours,” he said. “This should be in every neighborhood. It’s designed to get people out in their neighborhood talking to each other. I’d like to see it in every neighborhood.”
Bellefonte’s first National Night Out will be held Tuesday, Aug. 5, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Talleyrand Park. Admission is free. For more information, visit the Bellefonte Police Department’s Facebook page or contact borough offices.
