By Cris Greer
WKTV Managing Editor
greer@wktv.org

The South Kent Chamber Foundation handed out 185 backpacks filled with school supplies, a hygiene kit and haircut voucher at a recent National Night Out block party at The Dock Urban Youth Ministries in Wyoming.

National Night Out is an annual event celebrated across the country that seeks to promote community-police partnerships and encourage residents to connect with their neighbors, community leaders and local police and fire personnel. Held annually on the first Tuesday in August, NNO was started in the 1980s by an established network of law enforcement agencies, neighborhood watch groups, crime prevention associations and volunteers across the country.

The block party, attended by 350 people, featured food trucks, activity exhibit booths, yard games, Magic Surge, bingo with prizes, bounce houses, the creation of a community mural, a DJ, root beer floats, and members of the Wyoming Police Department.

“It is our belief that by helping our community members with the necessities for returning to school, we are setting them up for a successful year and reinforcing the positive connection with our local police force,” said Megan Green, executive director of the South Kent Chamber Foundation.