Block parties bring Seguin residents together

Dalondo Moultrie The Seguin Gazette 

With her four daughters and one son in tow, Maria Velazquez made her way Tuesday to Bauer Park in Seguin for one of the National Night Out block parties in the city.

She attended the outing so she and her children could have some fun while meeting people and supporting the community, Velazquez said.

“I like it that you get to meet your neighbors,” she said. “The kids get to see people they know.”

Velazquez and residents like her get it, Seguin Police Chief Jason Brady said.

Her reason for attending the event is precisely why it was created, the chief said. He and other first responder and city leaders had crews from different departments out in force to meet with residents but National Night Out is about more than just chatting with cops and firemen, Brady said.

“The important this is not just about interacting with public safety personnel but neighbors with each other,” he said. “The safest neighborhoods — neighborhoods that experience less crime — are ones that are more cohesive and neighbors know each other. That’s really the intent of National Night Out.”

National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make neighborhoods safer, according to the National Night Out website. The night is scheduled each year to enhance relationships between neighbors and law enforcement personnel while fostering a true sense of community. The annual event offers opportunities for bringing police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.

Across most of the country, National Night Out is celebrated on the first Tuesday in August. But Texas and certain other areas celebrate the first Tuesday in October.

Some guests at a National Night Out party in the parking lot of Seguin Youth Services didn’t know about the annual event. They attended because of their affinity for the local organization.

Opened in 1995, the nonprofit offers things life skills curriculums, family and parent support, substance abuse resistance and other programming. The people at Seguin Youth Services are like family to her, said 14-year-old Jaliana Flota, who started going to the center about four or five years.

“It’s not like any other program,” she said. “It’s a program that lets you have fun but also get work done at the same time. They’re there when you need them.”

Hanging with friends and family who take part in what the program offers seemed enough for many of the several dozen attendees Tuesday. Still, they were able to help fulfill the mission of the National Night Out event, said Marcos Saenz, Seguin Youth Services co-founder and assistant director.

Children and adults danced to tunes DJ Izzy D spun, eat some food and mingled among each other. They also chatted with police officers and EMS personnel who attended the gathering, Saenz said.

“The kids were cool with it,” he said. “Some were a little intimidated but they were all right. I told them to get over it. They’re the good guys.”

Between McQueeney and Marion, the FM 1044 neighborhood celebrated its 10th annual National Night Out party at the home of Jackie and Charlene Nolte at the barn at Creek Bottom Farm. Much like their city neighbors, the group hosted several first responders from the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office, two Guadalupe County Commissioners, Guadalupe County Constable, the Guadalupe County District Attorney’s Office, Lake Dunlap Volunteer Fire Department, GVEC and Green Valley Special Utility District.

“Neighbors came from both Guadalupe County Precinct 1 and Precinct 4 with FM 1044 being the dividing line,” Charlene said. “The event was an opportunity to bring the families together and learn how to keep their homes and properties safe.”

Down Altwein Road,

Participating in National Night Out allows the community to see the officers in a different light, Brady said. Participating in his second such event in Seguin, he said he recognizes that things are different than they were just a few years ago and its time for community members to become neighbors again.

Checking in on each other, knowing them and their routines can help secure neighborhoods, Brady said. Participating in National Night Out is a step in the right direction, he said.

“When you have disorganized neighborhoods … where people come and go, … that’s a recipe for being victimized,” Brady said. “Let’s put the gadgets down and get the kids playing together.”

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