OAKHURST — This week in the Old Mill Shopping Center a very special event is taking place, and everyone is invited to participate. It’s National Night Out, a community awareness-raising event, set for Tuesday, Aug. 1, from 6 – 9 p.m.
National Night Out is put on this year by the Madera County Sheriff’s Department, designed to highlight the important relationship between community members and our local emergency programs, first responders, non-profits and law enforcement, including:
- California Highway Patrol
- Madera County Sheriff’s Office
- Cal Fire
- Sierra Ambulance
- Red Cross
- California Fish and Wildlife
- Yosemite Unified School District
- Visit Yosemite Madera County
- Sierra Tel
- Central California Blood Center
- Senator Tom Berryhill
- Assemblyman Frank Bigelow
- Mountain Amateur Radio Club
- California State Parks
- Supervisor District 5, Tom Wheeler
- Forest Service
- Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce;
- Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster
- CCADT, Wildlife Officers
- District Attorney David Linn
“We’re really excited,” says CHP Officer Kaci Lutz says.
“The event is growing each year and this year it is going to be better than last year. We will have live music, food, and entertainment.
“It’s a chance for everyone to stop in and become familiar with all the emergency services in our area, take a look at all the equipment, ask questions, and get to know the officers, firefighters and EMS personnel. This is all about creating awareness and understanding in the community.”
Guests can also visit with their elected officials and check out merchandise from local vendors. There will plenty of booths set up where people can learn more about each agency and the men and women who serve as our first responders.
National Night Out is held across the United States on the first Tuesday of August, with the exception of Texas and Florida, states which sometimes hold the event in October, depending on weather. The event dates back to 1984 when about 2.5 million community members came out to mingle with emergency services. Today, the event is said to attract more than 38 million people, nationwide.
Make an evening of it as the mountain area celebrates our Emergency Services and our community, and get to know those who respond when emergency calls.
To learn more about the event, please contact Officer Kaci Lutz at (559)658-6590 or by email KLutz@chp.ca.gov
