LOCK HAVEN – Clinton County is a week away from its first night.
The event, hosted by the county district attorney’s office and the sheriff’s department, will take place from 4 to 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 20, at the Piper Building complex.
An Evening Event is a community-building campaign that promotes neighborhood camaraderie and police-community partnerships, which can help make neighborhoods safer and more supportive to live in. The official date of the National Departure is the first Tuesday of August.
However, according to Sheriff Kerry Stover, the county did not want to compete with other organizations in the region holding their own Night Out event.
The night will feature a wide variety of educational and visual tools from local police, fire and other emergency response organizations throughout the county.
Including fire companies and other services is extremely unusual for the event, Stover said.
“We decided to do the night out as it’s known, with the law enforcement, but we thought ‘let’s also invite some lifeguards’.” he said “Let the kids meet these people and see what services they offer.”
Parking for the event will be at the Piper Museum, with activities taking place in the Piper Building parking lot and a green space between the building and the museum, Stover said.
Attendees will have to pass the activities to the parking area, which will be closed and volunteers will provide directions.
Fire trucks, police vehicles and other equipment will be installed in the parking lot of the commissions in full view of the public. Seven fire companies are involved.
Stover noted that helicopters from both the state police and Geisinger are expected to land in the area as well, though no set time frame has been set.
“It all depends on whether they are to be sent to anything or not,” Stover explained.
Vendors will be set up on the grassy area between the Piper Building and the museum. They include: CareerLink, Ross Library, West Branch Drug and Alcohol, Salvation Army, Clinton County Probation Department, Camp Cadet and Early Learning Resources Group.
The sheriff’s department will also offer a variety of information and activity packets, which Stover has been putting together for months.
Activities will include children trying to walk “drunk” Safety glasses; a bicycle rodeo courtesy of the Nittany Bald Eagle Valley Kiwanis Club; two bounce houses and more. Smokey the Bear, McGruff the Crime Dog and Sparky the Dalmation may also appear.
“We’re trying to help educate parents and provide activities for kids and that can help them understand what local police, emergency responders do,” Stover said.
Thanks to a donation from Walmart, the event will also have food, including hot dogs, Pepsi products and fries, for 250 to 300 people. District Attorney Dave Strouse will emcee the event.
According to Stover and Strouse, this event has been years in the making.
“We knew we wanted to do that, to help build relationships with fire and police.” Stover said. “That was in 2019. In 2020, with the problems of COVID, we couldn’t do it. And 2021 was no better.”
So when 2022 looked promising, Stover and Strouse formed a committee and began preparing for the event.
“We’d like to make it an annual thing and hope for a great turnout,” Stover said.
“There are lots and lots of things to do” Strouse said. “The sheriff and I saw this as an opportunity to engage the community with law enforcement and first responders.”
Both Stover and Strouse emphasized how grateful they are for the many volunteers who will also help with the event.
“There are lots and lots and lots of volunteers who will help and we are very grateful.” Strouse said.
Stover noted that many are families of law enforcement officers along with local churches and other organizations.
The two also gave thanks “gold” level sponsors for their support. Includes: Pepsi Co., Save-A-Lot, Central PA Auto Auction, Erie Insurance, APC International, Ltd., Walmart and Schlesinger Communications.
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