Massena Neighborhood Watch Stages Night Out
MASSENA - A Tuesday night family-friendly celebration at Springs Park will kick off Massena Neighborhood Watch members' efforts to "take back" their neighborhoods from illegal drug sales and drug-related crime.
The community-based crime prevention group has been operating in Massena for just over a year, and members are planning to hold their first big event at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
The "national night out" will feature free food, music, a coloring contest and other activities for children and guest speakers, including St. Lawrence County District Attorney Nicole Duve, County Sheriff Kevin Wells and Massena Town Supervisor Joseph D. Gray.
Free flashlights will be given out to the first 100 families to arrive at the event, in preparation for a flashlight march, to be held at dusk.
Neighborhood Watch member Rhonda Rodriguez said Massena's event will happen the same night as National Night Out events across the country. Massena's theme this year is "take back your neighborhood."
"We wanted to build on the 'take back the night' concept you see on a lot of college campuses, that emphasize that their campus is a safe place and they're working together to make it safe place," Ms. Rodriguez said.
"That's what Neighborhood Watch is all about. We want to show the people of Massena that this is a community they should be proud of and that we can all work together to make sure this is a safe and crime-free place to live."
Village Police Chief Timothy J. Currier, who helped found the group last summer, said Neighborhood Watch's focus this year will be street-level and neighborhood-based illegal drug sales.
"The message has been loud and clear from some of our citizens. Although most appreciate our efforts in dealing with illegal drugs, they want to see a more targeted approach at identified drug houses, and that will be our approach," Mr. Currier said.
"Be it illegal drugs, or some other issue in your neighborhood, addressing it as a community, with power in numbers, is what the Neighborhood Watch program is all about."
While the group has built an extensive mailing list of community members who have stopped by at monthly meetings, Ms. Rodriguez said a core group of 15 to 20 people has been the most involved to date.
That group is hoping to add new members by showcasing the organization at Tuesday's event. They are particularly interested in getting businesses involved, as a safer community will help prevent many local stores and firms from becoming victims of crime.
"We're hoping people will get to know us and what we're about at the event, and decide to be more involved," Ms. Rodriguez said. "We figured this would be a good way to let everybody know we're here and we're ready to support them if they're ready to support us."
