The Page Police Department joined forces with local agencies to celebrate the National Night Out on Tuesday, Aug. 7. The National Night Out campaign brought together the city of Page and all law enforcement agencies to celebrate its 35th year of building trust, confidence and safety in Page’s neighborhoods. The agencies used fun  family-friendly games as a way to teach methods people can use to  prevent and mitigate accidents of all variety.

The night began with the local Boy Scout color guard raising the flag and those in attendance reciting the pledge of allegiance. Then Page Police Chief Frank Balkcom, Sr., opened up the fun-filled night with a brief history of the National Night Out and its purpose.

“National Night Out is celebrating 35 years,” he said.  “It’s always nice to see the community come out and get to know us. This is a way to build relationships with [law enforcement] so you will feel comfortable approaching us.”

Balkcom also extended his gratitude to the community support and the agencies that also joined in the festivities.  Page is one of 16,000 communities across the nation participating in the event.

Many children had the unique opportunity to experience the jobs of the community’s emergency response agencies. The National Park Service’s patrol boat  was a big hit. Park rangers allowed children to get and the boat and look around. They also taught them the proper way to throw a throw bag.

The kids took turns throwing the rope to a “victim” which was the CPR mannequin lying on the grass. The activity was made to be fun when children had to pretend the grass was water.

Likewise, the Page Fire Dept. taught the children how to properly stop, drop and roll by pretending to be on fire using flame stickers. The stickers with cartoon flames on them fell off when they covered their faces and rolled on the grass to put the flames out.

Page Police Lt. Larry Jones had the honor of manning the drunk goggle demonstration for youths who will soon reach driving age. The pre-teens and teens were given special glasses that blurred their vision while they drove a golf cart through a driving course.

Page Unified School District administration and Manson Mesa’s new Principal, Mary Stahl, handed out grilled hot dogs and chips for everybody at the event.

Also participating in the event were the Coconino County Sheriff’s Department, Coconino Adult Probation, Bureau of Land Management, Canyonlands Medical and Dental Clinic, Banner Health’s Mobile Health Unit, Page PD’s Explorers, Page Public Library, the Navajo Nation Education, the City of Page administration and Chamber of Commerce.

Chuck Serventi DJ’d the festivities.

National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships to make America’s neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live, while bringing back a true sense of community. Furthermore, it provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.

The NNO organization’s founder Matt Peskin founded the NNO program in Philadelphia, Penn., during 1984 with the help of a newsletter he made seven years earlier to encourage his local neighborhood watch program. The newsletter inspired volunteers to help, and the publication grew to neighboring cities. Thirty-five years later National Night Out brings together 38 million people in neighborhoods across the country.