From: Leslie & Downe [rlsd@io.com] Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2001 8:50 AM To: wayne.thornton@mhmr.state.tx.us; Vicki Skinner; Stuart Grifel; Sharon Zambrzycki; Roberta Byrum; reuben leslie; Reuben Leslie; Ray Alvarez; Patricia Shields; Pat Hicks; Melody Kuhns; Marilyn Balanoff; Kris Mohajer; Ken Matwiczak; JOYA HAYES; Howard Balanoff; Glenn Neal; Eddie Molina; Duane Pufpaff; Doyle Pendleton; David Vela; David Rejino; Christine McCormick; Cherry Beth Luedtke; Cherry Beth Luedtke; Bobby Sieferman; Bill West; Bill Billingsley; Alan Bojorquez; Glen Neal; Harold Stone; Amy Miller Subject: NATIONAL NIGHT OUT is the 7th of August Dear Fellow CenTex ASPA Council Members, A great opportunity to support and promote citizen-government cooperation and build "bridging social capital" right in your own neighborhood is upon us. A story that I wrote for the newsletter of my neighborhood association (in Austin) is below. The article's contents can be adapted for any neighborhood or community organization newsletter, and now is the time to submit such articles. I wholeheartedly recommend that ASPA members' names be associated with leading and supporting Neighborhood Watch and National Night Out. Why? Because the opportunity to meet and get to know neighbors in a friendly, nonpartisan way while serving and unifying community is one ASPA values, and it can only help build your personal credibility and influence for when public issues, including the role of paid professional government employees, are discussed later. AND IT'S FUN!!! If you live in Austin, act now to meet the APD deadline of July 6 to get free materials and a friendly visit by police, fire and EMS. If you live elsewhere, contact the office of the law enforcement organization that serves your area and sign up to participate in a local National Night Out observance. Also, make it a tradition to show up at the block parties with voter registration cards to welcome new residents. Don't forget to include a link when appropriate to the CenTex ASPA resolution in support of National Night Out at http://www.main.org/aspa/nnores2.htm. Reuben Leslie, Jr., Webmaster, CenTex Chapter National Council Member for Region VIII American Society for Public Administration NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IS COMING! IS YOUR BLOCK READY? Deadline to register with APD is July 6! by Reuben Leslie, Jr., Block Captain for one block of Antoinette Place The 18th annual National Night Out will be on Tuesday night the 7th of August from 7:00 PM until 9:00 PM. Did you miss the other 17 celebrations? Now is the time to plan to join more than 30 million Americans who celebrate this community-building holiday every first Tuesday in August every year. What is National Night Out? It is a special time set aside for EVERYONE to go outside and visit with their neighbors and have fun together, getting better acquainted with each other and police/fire/EMS staff to help fight crime and safety hazards together. Texas has led all states in the level of participation in National Night Out for six years (see http://www.nno.org/nno/award2000.html ). Austin 's participation ranks it in the top 20 of major cities. Many blocks in Milwood have a great tradition of block parties to renew Neighborhood Watch groups and celebrate together. For example, residents of Antoinette Place and surrounding streets have had a block party for several years, complete with a kickoff parade, dunking booth, moon walk bouncer, potluck food, music, dancing, watermelon seed-spitting contest and guests including State Representative Elliott Naishtat and police and firefighters. But if your block doesn't have such a tradition yet, START ONE! The Austin Police Department encourages organized neighborhood watch groups and any group of neighbors who want to organize a group to fill out an application form by the 6th of July to register to host a party that will be visited by officers. To get a form, call Yolanda Buchman at 459-1554 or see the APD webpage at http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/police/nno.htm . Then just plan the party you and your neighbors want (using special APD posters and postcards for inviting neighbors) and when the time comes, on August 7th, from 7:00 to 9:00 PM, turn on your porch lights, lock yours doors and spend the evening outside with neighbors, police and fire fighters. One purpose of National Night Out is to help neighbors form and sustain voluntary neighborhood watch groups. If your block doesn't already have a neighborhood watch group, why not start one? Then make National Night Out celebration a tradition for the first Tuesday of August every year. The area chapter of the American Society for Public Administration (see http://www.main.org/aspa/nnores2.htm ) encourages this not only to help fight crime but also to build community by increasing neighbor-to-neighbor trust and our ability to solve problems together. For more materials and information, contact National Association of Town Watch at 1-800 NITE OUT or on the web at http://www.nno.org. 25 May 2001 ***