Penn Hills celebrates first National Night Out
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Penn Hills’ first National Night Out celebration almost started with a shower.
As representatives of various organizations were setting up for the Aug. 2 event at Penn Hills Community Park, Western Pennsylvania weather refused to cooperate, temporarily drenching the proceedings.
But by the time guests began arriving at Penn Hills Community Park, the sun was welcoming them by re-emerging.
With it came a fine early evening of meeting police officers, firefighters and emergency services personnel, along with members of organizations including the Penn Hills Rotary, which sponsored the local National Night Out.
“The Rotary has always had a deep appreciation and respect for the first responders, and we thought this could be a really nice way of bringing the community and the first responders together,” said Tyler Tomasino, 2022-23 club president. “We started talking about this early in the spring. We met with the fire chiefs and talked with the paramedics and police about coming, and they’re all represented here tonight.”
Police Chief Ron Como, a 26-year veteran of the Penn Hills force, was among those present to greet guests.
“We’re part of the community. We work well with the community,” he said. “We’ve always had a good relationship.”
His department has forged an especially good relationship with the Rotary club, which is planning a fundraiser to help the police obtain a second dog for the K-9 unit. The one now with the force, Evo, attended National Night Out guided by Officer Ryan Walters, much to the delight of the youngsters at the park.
Many of the event’s attractions were geared toward children, including Chief Bill Jeffcoat of Penn Hills Volunteer Fire Department No. 7 taking small groups upward and back down to earth aboard the bucket of a ladder truck.
The Rotarians presented kids with items such as fire hats, police badges, glow sticks and temporary tattoos. And for everyone, club members provided free hot dogs donated by Community Market and Giant Eagle, and iced tea by Penn Hills’ own Turner Dairy Farms.
Coming up on the Rotary calendar is the club’s second annual car cruise and food roundup, scheduled from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 17 in Community Park.
“Last year was a huge success. We had over a hundred cars, four food trucks and an ice cream truck, and we hope to have more this year,” Tomasino said, including live music.
Founded 117 years ago, Rotary International has 1.2 million members around the world adhering to the motto “service above self,” which includes raising money to donate to charities locally and globally. The Penn Hills club, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2022, meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month at Green Oaks Country Club in Rosedale. For more information, visit www.pennhillsrotary.org.
National Night Out was introduced in August 1984, three years after Matt Peskin of suburban Philadelphia established the National Association of Town Watch, working with community leaders, law enforcement agencies and local officials to advance crime and drug prevention. Details are available at natw.org.