Local News - August 2003

‘We’re still cooking’

Published August 6, 2003

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Rainy ‘Night Out’

By ALICE SMITH, LTN Staff Writer

Heavy rains did not damper the spirits of the hundreds of residents who turned out for Lincolnton’s National Night Out Tuesday.

“We had to wipe down the chairs three or four times,” said Brigitte Hegewald at her Lithia Hills block party. “We had a couple of calls — ‘Are you still having it?’ I said, ‘We’re still cooking!’”

The Hegewalds offered neighbors sauerkraut and sausages. Combined with pieces of bread and mustard, it was an authentic German dish.

“It never comes out the same way twice,” she said about the sauerkraut.

National Night Out, in its 20th year nationwide and 6th year locally, aims to bring residents together and keep neighborhoods crime-free.

It allows city leaders and officials to ride from neighborhood to neighborhood, meeting residents and hearing about concerns.

And for many, it’s the only structured time they can get out and meet the people who live in their neighborhoods or apartment complexes.

“A lot of times we don’t know each other,” said Elsie Fisher, who lives in the Sunrise Community.

The Sunrise Community traditionally has one of the biggest bashes, especially for the kids.

Lincolnton firefighters opened a fire hydrant, sending a cool spray into the street. Approximately 30 kids bolted back and forth through the water, splishing and splashing in puddles.

“We enjoy this,” Fisher said. “The kids are really enjoying it.”

Pat Hull, who just moved into the community in February, volunteered to help cook.

National Night Out is a good chance to get to know everybody better, she said while fanning smoke from a fryer.

“I meet new people, and I get to see a lot that go past me on the road,” she said. “You see them in the car, but you don’t know their names.”

This was the first year for the Academy Street party, held in the Senior Center at Gaston College.

In their first hour, block captains had already recorded the names of 67 people who had stopped by.

“We thought it’d be a good idea to have one in this neighborhood, because it’s close to the Senior Center,” said Susan Spake, one of the block captains.

They boogied to music provided by Mike Futrell and his karaoke system, ate strawberry pie and cheered when door prizes like weather-alert radios were given out.

Captains are looking forward to the 2004 event, they said.

“We hope it gets bigger next year,” Spake said.

And while food, friends and fun were at the forefront of the festivities at the 15 parties Tuesday night, everyone involved understood the reason they were there —  to form bonds and strengthen the fight against crime.

“We all need to do that and just be aware of it,” Hegewald said. “We always watch out for each other.”

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Anyone interested in having a party for next year’s National Night Out can contact Lt. Kenny Shrum at the Lincolnton Police Department at 704-736-8900.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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