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National Night Out left a big impression on Gilroy residents as hundreds of people turned out downtown to bond and have fun last week. The annual community-building campaign on the first Tuesday of August promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, better places to live.
Through two small grants by the Gilroy Rotary Club and the Gilroy Exchange Club and support from the local Target, there were games, giveaways and raffle prizes.
We had a record turnout in Gilroy and it was so nice to see the public out meeting their local emergency personnel.
Gilroy Police Chief Denise Turner was the hostess of the event and was joined by Gilroy Fire Department Chief Alan Anderson, Division Chief Mary Gutierrez and many firefighters. Gilroy Police were out in force with a water balloon toss. The police were having so much fun, they let kids nail them with water balloons after the event was over. CHP Public Information officer Chris Miceli showed proper child car seat installation. Kids climbed on the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department’s rescue boat.
The Aztec Dancers performed and Gilroy Youth Task Force director Bernice Aguilera performed with her troop. A Zumba instructor led some moves and the crowd went crazy. I have never seen so many kids of all ages dancing downtown on Fifth Street. The DJ donated by Bracco’s Towing kept the music booming and the party hopping. Bruce Haller donated 400 hot dogs from Wienerschnitzel and Mike Torres of Water Warehouse donated 300 bottles of water for the participants. It’s one of my favorite events of the year!
