LAKEHURST – Residents of the borough and Manchester Township enjoyed National Night Out with local first responders until weather ended the festivities.
There were free raffles and prizes, food trucks, live music, vehicle displays, local business vendors, K9 and SWAT demonstrations, a physical fitness competition, a traffic safety and DWI simulation course as well as the 4th Annual Donut Eating competition between both police departments.
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes camaraderie between residents and first responders. The local effort was coordinated by the Manchester and Lakehurst Police departments with support and assistance from local businesses, vendors, the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office and the Naval Support Activity Lakehurst.
Manchester was represented by Police Chief Antonio Ellis and Councilwoman Sandy Drake who previously served as a member of the township’s police department. Lakehurst had representation from their mayor, Harry Robbins and Borough Police Chief Matthew Kline. Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer visited the event as well.
With the approaching storm, some residents decided to check out the attraction a bit early and that included 5-year-old Valentino Gaynor, better known as Tino. He was there with his father Jay Gaynor. Both are relatively new to the community having only moved to the state and to Lakehurst a few months ago.
“I couldn’t keep him away. We live close to here and we were coming back from swimming and he saw all this from the road. I like it here,” Jay Gaynor said.
Chief Kline was hopeful at that time that the rain wouldn’t come but he wasn’t so sure his department would win the annual donut eating contest. “We don’t have too many of our heavy hitters left,” he said with a laugh. “I think we have a good shot.”
This year’s free event was held at Fuccile Sports Complex at 800 Myrtle Street in Lakehurst.
“We have done this here in years past but not in a while. We moved it to the lake and then last year to Manchester (High School) and now we are back here again. We go back and forth with Manchester,” Chief Kline added.
“We have a helicopter landing planned as long as the weather cooperates,” he said.
Representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Army manned promotion tables and you could spin the prize wheel over at the Wawa table. There was an ax throwing trailer, a petting zoo and several inflatable attractions for kids to crawl through or slide on.
Mayor Robbins and his wife were strolling the grounds early in the evening ready for a full night of fun with the community. “It used to be here every year. It is all about cooperation between the public and the police department, drug prevention awareness, crime awareness and getting the public involved.”
“We want them to feel comfortable when they see something, call the police and report it. This also gives the public a chance to know the police and they get to know the younger people in town and know the police aren’t your enemy; they are your friends. You can reach out to them and you can talk to them,” the mayor added.
“It is nice for the residents that when something happens and they call the police and they know the face walking up their sidewalk. It means a lot,” Robbins commented.
“Here in Lakehurst, we do a lot of community policing events which is good, National Night Out, Toys for Tots. We do a lot for the community and tonight it gives a chance for the community to meet our officers, so in case something happens we are a familiar face. When things happen, it is great to know someone. Every one of our police officers is at this event. They are out interacting with the community and be a familiar face,” Kline said.
The chief added, “this is a joint event with Manchester (Police) and it brings our agencies closer.”
Usually, National Night Out is held across the country on the first Tuesday of the month but Chief Kline said a lot of scheduling issues happened. Some of the agencies are asked to attend other National Night Out events, so that made it necessary this year for the joint Manchester/Lakehurst National Night Out to move to a week later on a Thursday night. “Berkeley Township was doing their National Night Out tonight too,” the chief noted. The event did get hit with some rain which forced it to shut down a bit earlier than planned.
At the following Township Council meeting, Councilman Brian DiMeo announced plans of the Youth and Recreation Committee stating it participated in the recently held National Night Out “which was successful while it lasted.”
