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SOUTH BRUNSWICK: ‘Night Out’ draws record crowd

By Charles W. Kim, Managing Editor
   More than 6,000 people went to Rowland Park Tuesday evening to help prevent crime during the annual National Night Out celebration, setting a new attendance record, according to police.
   ”It is one of our premier events to build relationships with the community,” Deputy Chief of Police Kevin Hughes said as he walked through the crowd and speaking with residents Tuesday night. “It lets the criminals know that the community and the police are working together to fight crime.”
   The annual event is celebrated in more than 15,000 communities throughout the nation and has been attended by more than 37 million Americans since it began almost three decades ago, according to the National Association of Town Watch, sponsoring organization of the events nationwide.
   According to the organization’s website, the event started as a way for the community to show its support to police and to make a statement to criminals that it was banding together to lower crime neighborhood by neighborhood.
   This year’s attendance set a new record for the event with an estimated 6,200 people enjoying the summer evening with officers from the department, according to Sgt. Jim Ryan.
   According to Sgt. Ryan, the number of people attending doubled from last year, setting a new record for the agency, which placed sixth nationally among similar sized communities for last year’s event.
   Attendees were treated to games, hot dogs, soda, popcorn, musical acts and a variety of information booths set up by various township organizations in combination with the annual Community Unity Day celebration sponsored by the township’s Municipal Alliance.
   That event used to be held separately in September, but has joined with National Night Out for the past several years.
   Township Assets Coordinator Christine Mariano put that part of the program together this year and said combining the two events has helped bring in more people.
   ”We really like it, we get a much bigger turn out and it really brings the community together,” Ms. Mariano said. “It gives ( the Municipal Alliance) a chance to show off our programs to a much bigger audience.”
   The Municipal Alliance provides programs to help prevent alcohol and drug abuse, which, Ms. Mariano said, could also be connected to the efforts of law enforcement to prevent crime.
   ”We’re kind of related,” Ms. Mariano said.
   Ms. Mariano said that most organizations represented were non-profit or community service groups, unlike years past that included commercial concerns like realtors.
   ”We’re not selling things here,” Ms. Mariano said. “We are doing things to promote a healthy lifestyle that is drug and alcohol free.”
   Ms. Mariano said the Municipal Alliance meets monthly on the first Wednesday of the month at 10 a.m. in the health conference room of the Municipal Building on Route 522.
   ”Everyone is welcome to attend,” Ms. Mariano said.
   Among the groups represented, the Islamic Society of Central New Jersey had a table with information about Islam and also about bears thanks to recent sightings in the area.
   ”South Brunswick has had several sightings of bears for years now,” ISCNJ board of directors member and volunteer Azra Baig said.
   The table for the mosque and school on Route 1 also handed out information for people relating to the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
   ”It is the month of fasting where (Muslims) fast for 29 or 30 days between dawn and sunset,” Ms. Baig said.
   In addition to fasting, Muslims spend time praying and keeping good thoughts in their minds.
   ”It is exciting to see all these beautiful people out here (tonight),” Ms. Baig said. “They all are from diverse backgrounds and they are happy and having fun.”
   According to Sgt. Ryan, the crowd consumed some 1,500 hot dogs, 1,000 bags of potato chips and another 1,000 ice cream pops distributed by some of e 100 volunteers during the evening.
   Police Chief Raymond Hayducka thanked all those involved with making the evening successful.
   ”It is the dedication and hard work of all the officers and volunteers that make the night a success,” Chief Hayducka said.