Staff Reports

VALDOSTA — The Valdosta State University Police Department presents National Night Out from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16, on the Front Lawn. Admission, all activities, and concessions are free of charge, while supplies last.

The event was originally scheduled for Oct. 1 but was postponed after Hurricane Helene hit the area.

National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to prevent crime. It is all about making the university, Valdosta, and Lowndes County safer places to live and work.

“National Night Out provides an opportunity for area residents to meet and socialize with their local first responders, including the ones that have taken care of them throughout Hurricane Helene, in a fun and relaxed environment,” shared Sgt. Rebecca Leatherberry of the VSU Police Department. “As our community works to recover from the storm, we want to hear our citizens’ concerns and answer their questions, as well as learn how we can work together to support the good things that are happening in our community.”

During National Night Out, area residents will get an up-close look at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s crime scene truck, interactive displays from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, fire trucks, police cars, ambulances, and more.

Attendees will have an opportunity to meet first responders from the VSU Police Department, Valdosta Police Department, Remerton Police Department, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia Department of Public Safety, Department of Community Supervision, South Georgia Medical Center, Lowndes County Fire Rescue, and more.

National Night Out will feature activities for all ages, giveaways, demonstrations, and free concessions, while supplies last. LifeSouth Blood Mobile, Kona Ice, Wild Adventures, The Haven, and many more community organizations will be present at the event.

National Night Out was first introduced in 1984 by the National Association of Town Watch, a nonprofit organization designed to provide community watch groups with the necessary resources and assets to stay informed, interested, involved, and motivated. It is celebrated across the United States and its territories, in Canada, and on military bases around the world.