Many neighborhoods across the country came together to celebrate National Night Out, and The Shops at Rockvale did a great job creating a memorable experience. National Night Out is held annually on the first Tuesday in August and according to the official website, “This event enhances relationships between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community,”
“The Shops at Rockvale hosted an incredible event this year”, said Heidi Cullman, who attended the event with a few of her gal-pals. Several of the guests tried their hand at Ax throwing courtesy of the Hatchet & Axe Company and had a lot of fun.
“Seeing the community come together, and watching the first responders interact with the families in our community was so heart-warming,” said local resident, Karen Witter. The Shops at Rockdale created a really fun atmosphere for the neighborhood families and kids who took turns meeting their local heroes and sitting inside of the police car. It seemed pretty clear the community felt very comfortable interacting with their local law enforcement. For some of the youngsters in the community, it was a toss-up as they were also provided little fire hats and eagerly climbed into the driver’s seat of the fire trucks while meeting with the community’s local fire department.
There was live music along with several food trucks offering everything from delicious smoked BBQ, ice cream, cotton candy, and frozen goodies to a variety of desserts. There were plenty of activities and fun family games. The grand finale was a toy drop where the Lafayette Volunteers participated in showering goodies to smiling children and families who had gathered around for the grand finale.
Many of the community heroes attending the celebration included First Responders, Lancaster EMS, East Lampeter Township Police Department, East Lampeter Police Department Works, Ronks Fire Company, Lafayette Fire Company, Hand-in-Hand Fire Company, and the Witmer Fire Protective Association.
Shortly after the event, the sky lit up as there was a spectacular firework show that made this night and annual event pretty special.
