The annual National Night Out in Oak Ridge next week will feature crime and drug prevention programs, an anti-bullying seminar for children, and an adult self-defense class.
It also features free food, drinks, and music.
It starts at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 7, at A.K. Bissell Park and Oak Ridge Civic Center.
It’s organized by the City of Oak Ridge and the Oak Ridge Neighborhood Watch Program, a city press release said. The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department is also participating.
Besides the events listed above, other activities include:
- a bounce house and slide for children
- K-9 demonstrations by the Oak Ridge Police Department and Anderson County Sheriff’s Department
- bucket rides in an Oak Ridge Electric Department truck
- information on car seat safety and computer, home, and business security
- laser tag
- an East Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force trailer
- Senior Citizen safety booths
- the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter
- Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency safety simulators for boating under the influence and firearms safety
The anti-bullying seminar, for children ages 4 years old and older, starts at 4:30 p.m. It’s taught by the Progressive Martial Arts Academy.
Parents must stay with their children during the seminar, the press release said.
The basic adult self-defense class starts at 6:30 p.m.
For more information, contact Oak Ridge Police Officer Jeremy Upham at (865) 556-6696 or e-mail him at [email protected].
The press release said National Night Out is a celebration of crime-fighting organizations, such as Neighborhood Watch. It is designed to help prevent crime and drug abuse, raise support for local anti-crime programs, strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships, and “send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.”
Susie Williams Taylor says
This is wonderful…I cannot imagine anyone NOT attending this National Night Out. The activities offered are amazing. Kudos to Oak Ridge and Oak Ridge Neighborhood Watch Program.
An amazing opportunity for all Oak Ridge residents~~~
John Huotari says
I believe the anti-bullying seminar and self-defense class are new this year.
CK says
Somehow the agenda for anti-bullying has been hijacked by the PC crowd to make it seem as if the Gay agenda is the most important aspect of it. That’s sad because bullying really is a problem in government schools. The Christians are allowed to be bullied in the Obama era and that”s sad. We have to take our kids out of these institutions for their own protection from bad kids and the bad government employees as well, and yet we have to continue to finance them with our taxes.
John Huotari says
I don’t consider myself a member of “the PC crowd,” but I think most people I know who are affected by bullying or have friends, relatives, or children who are believe that protecting children from unwanted harassment is the most important part of anti-bullying efforts. I agree that bullying is a problem.