Hubbard National Night Out draws crowd

August 5, 2015 at 12:04a.m.

By SARAH LEHR

HUBBARD

Four girlfriends from the Hubbard High School Class of 1967 were among the many people who arrived in Harding Park on Tuesday evening for Hubbard’s National Night Out.

One of the friends, Becky Fox, who now lives in Sharon, Pa., said, “We’re just here to see people we haven’t seen since high school – friends or foes.”

The Hubbard Township and Hubbard city police departments teamed up to host Hubbard National Night Out from 5 to 8 p.m. The National Association of Town Watch, a nonprofit organization, sponsors National Night Out events in more than 15,000 communities across the United States and Canada. The organization states its aim is to improve student-police relations and empower residents to take a stand against crime.

“This event gives officers a chance to interact with the community in a friendly way,” Hubbard Township Sgt. Greg Tarr said.

Hubbard city officer Dominic Pagano added, “We’re here to serve the community, and so it’s important that the community knows us.”

In addition to a car show, the event featured a township vs. city softball game and a meet-and-greet with the Hubbard High School varsity football team. Local businesses hosted booths and donated items to a raffle. Proceeds from the raffle went to the St. Vincent DePaul Society and Hubbard Christians in Action.

Kenny Romo, a 17-year-old Hubbard resident, helped man a booth for the Police and Law Enforcement Explorer Program. The program, which partners with the Boy Scouts of America, allows 14- to 21-year-olds to shadow local law-enforcement and gain hands-on experience. Romo, who is post president for the Explorers, dubbed National Night Out a success.

“The Explorers program is a program that’s been growing alongside National Night Out,” he said. “Every year, it gets bigger and bigger.”