The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON - Columbia County residents are invited to the Dayton City Park on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 5-8 p.m. to join forces with thousands of communities across the country for National Night Out. National Night Out is an annual anti-crime and anti-drug event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW), and co-sponsored locally by the Columbia County Friends of 9-1-1 and the Columbia County Sheriff's Office.

Last year's National Night Out campaign involved citizens, law enforcement agencies, civic groups, businesses, neighborhood organizations and local officials from over 15,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities and military bases worldwide. In all, over 37 million people participated in National Night Out in 2010.

In Dayton, almost 1,000 people attended National Night Out in the city park, local coordinator Tim Quigg said.

National Night Out is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; generate support for and participation in local anti-crime efforts; strengthen neighborhood spirit and policecommunity partnerships; and send a message to criminals and drug dealers that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back, Quigg said.

The Dayton City Park will be filled with events and activities. Free hotdogs will be served up by members of the Dayton Kiwanis and Dayton Lion's Club and other local volunteers, while free soft drinks will be provided by Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co.

Scheduled events include a high angle rope rescue demonstration, fire truck and ambulance displays by Columbia County Fire District #3. Get a close-up look at both Life Flight and Medstar helicopters, which will be flying in for display nearby.

In order to negate the risk of identity theft, CI Shred will be on hand to shred two boxes or two bags of personal documents or old records for the public for free. The Department of Social and Health Services' mobile community service's office will be on hand to help people sign up for financial, food and child care services.

Tour the Emergency Management mobile incident command post. The "Dunk a Cop" event in the Sheriff's Office's dunk tank is sure to be a popular event again this year. The YWCA is scheduled to be on hand providing a wide variety of kid's games and activities. There will also be free swimming at the Dayton City Pool, as well as a free family movie in the park later in the evening courtesy.

In all, 37 exhibits are expected to be on hand on the park lawn, Quigg said.

In addition to the free food, exhibits and demonstrations, there will be free prize drawings conducted by many of the exhibiters all evening, but you must be present to win! So bring the family, lawn chairs or blankets and have some fun at National Night Out, he said.

For more information, call Tim Quigg at 509-629-1661.