National Night Out 2019 - NeighborWorks of Western Vermont

Not only did we have gorgeous weather this year, but we also broke our record for attendance! With well over 1,250 participants, this was the biggest and most successful National Night Out in Rutland, VT!

Over 40 local organizations set up at this event handing out information, hosting games, surprising participants with amazing giveaways and having fun. What an incredible event filled with great food, fun activities, a sweet scavenger hunt, wonderful neighbors, and many of our amazing local law enforcement, firefighters, and community safety leaders!

A HUGE THANK YOU to our amazing group of Rutland folks who donated their time, resources, and energy to make this the biggest National Night Out in the area! The committee that brought this wonderful event to our community included Erron Hubbell, Officer Kevin Blongy, Chuck Hall, Brittany Malmgren, Nicole Densmore, Ricky Vest, Svea Howard, and Dan Gedney. For over five months, this group planned and organized and last night pulled off an amazing show of community engagement and promotion of police partnership.

DJ Brett Myhre kept the event and community members moving and dancing while PEGTV had participants competing for prizes at their buzzer game. Jump Fore Fun had the kids jumping to the music in their awesome bounce houses while local Police gave a K9 demonstration. The giant Slip n’ Slide had kids zooming down the hill and Mission City Church was busy handing out popcorn and snow-cones. Our event even made galactic news and was visited by a Stormtrooper and Jedi Knight. VIBE Portrait Art was there with a photo booth and also helped capture the fun. Participants looking to score a water bottle had to compete at the Army chin-up bar and Rutland City Police Cheif challenged kids to a ladder ball tournament! Volunteers from Mandala House were busy all night long handing out hotdogs and burgers and our friends at Stewarts had free ice cream for all.

A big thank you to our volunteers: Rutland City Alderman Bill Gillam and his grilling team, ACF Rutland Church, Mission City Church, Mandala House, and the many folks from the Rutland City Fire Department, local first responders, Rutland City Police, and so many more local agencies that came out to give drugs and crime a BIG GOING AWAY PARTY! Additionally, thank you to Rutland Recreation for providing the event space at Giorgetti Park.

We could not pull off an amazing community event without the many sponsors and donors, we appreciate your generosity: Project VISION, Keyser Energy, Coca-Cola, Freihofer Bakery Outlet, NeighborWorks of Western Vermont, Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility, Rutland Recreation and Parks Department, Creed Ice Co. Inc., Casella Waste, Thomas Dairy, Stewart’s Shops, Jiffy Mart, and Frito-Lay.

So many people helped make this event the success it was, thank you to all that helped, it takes a community to put on such a large and successful community event. We truly appreciate all those that donated their time and participated! Together, we are making communities safer, more caring places to live!

Written by NWWVT