Community, officers share evening of fun, fellowship
By John Joyce
Published in News on August 5, 2015 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/MELISSA KEY
Corbyn Peedin, 2, laughs as he rolls around in a human hamster ball at the National Night Out at Herman Park on Tuesday evening.
The 32nd annual National Night Out in Herman Park on Tuesday brought families together with law enforcement and city and county agencies for night of crime-free fun.
Officials said more than 1,500 people passed through the park between 5:30 and 9 p.m., visiting booths and partaking in free food and games.
In Mount Olive, more than 200 people accepted the police department's invitation to come over to their "home" for an evening of free food, games for the children and displays of police and fire department vehicles.
Deputies from Wayne and Duplin counties took part as well.
The evening started at 5:30 p.m. and went past it original ending time of 7:30 p.m.
Children, and some adults, lined up to try their luck at the dunking booth where police officers took turns waiting to be dunked. They danced with police officers to popular tunes provided by DJ Elijah "Sweet LJ" Manley and had their photos taken with Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
"This is what you call community togetherness," Capt. Linda Tyson of the Mount Olive Police Department said. "It is law enforcement's time to get with the community for all sorts of reasons. This is a part of our family, too. We invited hem to our home. Our home is the police department.
"This is where were are every day. Seven days a week and now we invite all of these people to our home to have a good time and that is what they are doing."
Meanwhile, back in Goldsboro, key speaker and Wayne County Chamber of Commerce President Kate Daniels said it was an honor to have been asked to be a part of such a wonderful event.
In her speech, Ms. Daniels told the story of a carpenter asked to build homes for people in a community in need and for no pay. Obliged at first to help out, the man soon grew weary, but kept on. In the end, he was asked to build one more home but by then he was so tired and worn out, he became miffed at the idea of laboring for free. He skimped on supplies and built a shoddy home. When the home was completed, he was told it was the town's gift to him as a reward for all his efforts.
Ms. Daniels told the audience the moral of the story is that we are forced to live in the "house" we erect for ourselves, so we should be wise to give to and serve others in the same fashion we might work to serve ourselves.
Entertainment was not in short supply in Herman Park. Members of the Goldsboro Police Department, Wayne County Sheriff's Office, Goldsboro Fire Department and several other community and county agencies were well represented.
Sheriff's Office SWAT team members displayed an array of weapons and tactical gear for all to see. Among the items were assault rifles -- a .40 mm attack weapon Sgt. Matt Miller explained is commonly called the .40 Mike-Mike -- and an AR-15.
"The .40 Mike-Mike doesn't just fire rounds. It can shoot gas canisters, bean bags and rubber bullets. They do hurt by the way," Miller said from experience.
Several church groups were also in attendance. A trio of young girls, ages 8 through 10, from the Word Faith Center on Buck Swamp Road, performed a dance routine. Choreographer Ebony Copeland said the dance is intended to inspire worship.
"I wanted to do something for the girls, to change it up a little bit and make it fun," she said.
Event organizer Cpl. Marissa Davis of the Goldsboro Police Department's Crime Prevention Unit, said she enjoyed the performance, as well as the demonstration by Goldsboro Okinawan Karate Do under the leadership of Jason Adams.
"And the help from Anthony Goodson and the Goldsboro Housing Authority was wonderful," she said. "He had his people out there and they were helping people, people they did not even know and it was amazing."
Goodson said he had 47 staff members from all departments working in shifts at the event,.
"It's important. My communities are the communities of the city of Goldsboro," he said.
"The community being here is very encouraging. All races, all ages, all economic levels are out here. It's cool," Goodson said.