Members of the Carbondale community are invited to meet their neighbors, police officers, and firefighters while engaging in fire safety and crime education Monday.

The National Association of Town Watch and the Carbondale Police Department are sponsoring the National Night Out at Turley Park from 6 to 9 p.m. July 31.

Carbondale Police Community Resource Officer Don Priddy said the idea behind National Night Out is for neighbors to meet each other and learn about crime prevention and safety.

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Priddy said last year 8,700 different communities participated in National Night Out. Janet Vaught, city clerk and Breakfast Rotary Club president-elect, said in most cases the event is held on a Tuesday, but due to the Tuesday city council meetings Carbondale holds its National Night Out on Mondays.

Jim Tarr, a Kiwanis member who has attended past National Nights Out, said National Night Out is a neat night in the park and a time to show support for the police department.

Vaught said the National Night Out builds awareness of how people can watch out for others.

It’s a chance to get acquainted with the police department and neighbors, Vaught said.

Priddy said there will be entertainment, food, contests, and safety displays at this year’s event.

He said the Carbondale High School jazz band will play from 6 to 7 p.m. and a disc jockey show will provide the musical entertainment for the last two hours of the event.

Priddy said McGruff the crime dog and Sparky the fire dog will be there sharing safety messages and various safety displays. He said police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances will be in the park for viewing.

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Kids can crawl in the police cars and play with the lights and stuff, Priddy said.

Priddy said hot dogs and soda will be for sale throughout the night and the proceeds will go to the D.A.R.E. program. He said Martin Foods is providing the hot dogs, Marion Pepsi Cola is providing the soda and members of the Kiwanis and Breakfast Rotary Clubs will serve the refreshments.

Tarr said National Night Out has been one of the Kiwanis’ projects for some years now. He said in the past the Kiwanis club has gotten TCBY to pass out samples of their

see NIGHT OUT, page 6