Area communities observe National Night Out

The national Night to Unite was observed the evening of Aug. 4 in Ellendale, Geneva and New Richland. The night of community celebrations is meant to draw the community together while also creating a setting where community members can interact with the public safety personnel who work to protect their lives and property.

 

At every event, free food consisting of hot dogs or sandwiches, chips, and treats was offered. Along with that, the local fire department, emergency medical services, and law enforcement were present, inviting children to see inside police cars, fire trucks and the backs of ambulances, and offering activities which encouraged them to interact with safety workers. 

 

Jay Dulas, Waseca County Sheriff, said, “We want kids to be comfortable around emergency personnel. That way if something bad happens, they know the policemen and firemen are the good guys.” Dulas was present at the New Richland event; representatives from Freeborn and Steele County sheriffs’ offices were present in their respective jurisdictions. 

 

The Ellendale event rang with energetic music played by a giant bubble blaster which invited children to run through a large mound of foamy white. Members of the emergency medical services offered treats displayed on one of the agency’s gurneys. City council members served root beer floats, and children were offered the chance to stand on the platform of a lift at the end of a fire truck boom.

 

In Geneva, the event was located in the city park conveniently connected to the fire hall. Older community members took part in energetic conversation at tables spread around the area. A “pie in the face” free will activity invited folks to contribute toward this fall’s fifth-grade trip to Eagle Bluff. Freshly popped popcorn was distributed freely. A bake sale raised money toward the community’s 175th anniversary celebration to take place in 2030. Children were excited to see the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office drone operated by Deputy Brockwell, who showed them how it could be used in search and rescue events.

 

The New Richland event took place in City Park along Broadway Avenue. Children could play in a bounce house, have airbrushed temporary tattoos applied by city administrator Tyler Lendt, and pet “CareBear,” a pony brought by the Wasecca County Sheriff’s Posse. Four Posse members circulated riding their horses. Children were given the chance to work side by side with a firefighter to douse a pretend fire in a 5-food cutout of a house.

 

Organizers of all three events stated their satisfaction with robust attendance, perhaps fueled by a nearly perfect evening with comfortable temperatures and very little wind.