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Community Corner

National Night Out Brings About 1,000 to Rockville

The event has grown considerably over the years.

About 1,000 people descended upon Downtown Rockville on Tuesday to stick their noses up at crime, show the street corners can be for families and, in one organizer's words, ''promote community togetherness.''

It was all part of the National Night Out celebration. The Rockville Community Alliance, in conjunction with the Vernon Police Department, the Vernon Parks and Recreation Department and the Vernon Community Network, sponsored the local segment of National Night Out.

Target was also a major sponsor.

People from all over the region visitied Rockville.

''This is a huge success,'' said Mike Hescock, the RCA vice president and the national Night Out organizing committee chairman. "We have people from religious organizations, politicians, government and business here. This is bringing together all types of people who want to fight crime, drugs, blight and social situations in our town.''

More than 50 of those groups had booths along the Green and most of them donated raffle prizes.

Free activities - like bouncy houses - were offered for young people and free food was available for all.

Bev's Corner again supplied tables and chairs. It's become a habit for the drop-in center during big events downtown. 

Free food and entertainment were also featured.

Bryan Flint, an RCA past-president, remembers the event's local roots over by the Ward Street police substation about a decade ago. He said the police were cooking on a single grill and people were shooting baskets from a single hoop.

"Now look,'' he said. ''This event promotes togetherness and when people in the community get to know each other, the community becomes a better place.''

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