National Night Out took place Tuesday, August 4, with 15 neighborhood block parties registered throughout Hastings
and the surrounding service area.
The City of Hastings Community Block Party was held at Lions Park from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., welcoming residents of all ages for an evening of food, games, prizes, a petting zoo, and opportunities to connect with neighbors, community organizations, and first responders.
KDWA attended the event and connected with representatives from several participating organizations.
Pleasant Hill Library was among the many community partners on hand. Librarian Andrea Egbert says National
Night Out is a chance to connect with residents outside the library.
“It is a great opportunity to be out in the community to see folks that we don’t necessarily see and just to participate. We love being out here giving away free things. We’ve got Twins tickets. We’ve got books. We’ve got all sorts of good stuff. We always do, and it’s always just a blast to be out here with y’all.”
Hastings City Councilmember Dave Pemble says the annual event has become a tradition because it brings the community together in a welcoming environment.
“The important part about it is it brings people together of all walks of life. We’ve had National Night Out here for decades, and it’s always been about community involvement. That’s really what the community needs—a way to interact with your neighbors, fellow community members and just enjoy spending time together.”
One of the biggest attractions each year is the opportunity for children to get an up-close look at an ambulance and
other emergency equipment. Hastings Assistant Fire Chief Chris Paulson says events like National Night Out strengthen the relationship between the fire department and the community.
“Any opportunity that we can get to be part of the community and be involved in the community is great. We enjoy very strong community support for our department. So anytime that we can get out and meet people and show them the equipment that they’re paying for and that we’re using, I think it’s an opportunity that we can’t pass up.”
Naturally, kids asked for the same thing when they climbed into the emergency vehicles—they wanted to hear
the siren.
Assistant Chief Paulson says, “Every kid wants to honk the horn and see the lights and turn the siren on. But if we let every kid do that, I don’t think any of us would be able to hear the next day. So we shut all of that stuff off and keep it pretty quiet. But they always want to honk the horns, and it’s interesting to hear some of the questions they come up with.”
Paulson says one tradition never goes out of style.
“Yep. Got to have the red fire hats.”
As the community block party wrapped up, Police Chief Kyle Linscheid walked from booth to booth, thanking community organizations and volunteers for their support.
[Click the soundbite to listen to the report.]