National Night Out makes safety fun in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE - Loud police sirens and shiny plastic sheriff's badges delighted the children of Moses Lake in Sinkiuse Square Tuesday night. The abundance of safety information and the positive message of National Night Out delighted their parents.

The event, intended to raise awareness about crime prevention and provide citizens with a fun way to learn about their police force, was held from 7 to 9 p.m. and was sponsored by the Moses Lake Police Department in conjunction with the Moses Lake Business Association. This marks the 29th year for the annual nation-wide campaign, which has included more than 36 million people in 16,000 communities.

Moses Lake's take on National Night Out expanded the goal of the event from just law-related security to a whole range of safety issues.

The Central Basin Traffic Task Force teamed up with Safe Kids Grant County to educate guests to the event about proper booster seat usage. A poster beside their table let kids measure up to their appropriate car restraint - a car seat, a booster seat or an adult seatbelt.

"There's a lot of misinformation out there," Maria Varges, a volunteer at the booth, said. "So, it's vital to get the right information out to everyone in our community."

National Night Out in Moses Lake offered a free barbecue catered by Michael's on the Lake. The event also included a myriad of fun activities for young safety enthusiasts, including a bean-bag toss for youth sports safety, fingerprinting with Miss Moses Lake, a bouncy house and the highlight for most kids - the free ice cream provided by the Firefly Café. Children also got to tour a police car - complete with honking the horn or briefly turning on the siren - and enjoyed free face painting at a booth by Youth Dynamics, a faith-based activity center for students.

"We want to provide a bridge between students and their community and provide a safe place for kids to come and have fun," Danielle Weitman said. She and a few of the students from Youth Dynamics painted everything from rainbows to butterflies on the grinning faces of young visitors to their table.

As the ice cream line gradually grew shorter, parents began to pack up sleepy young deputies for the ride home.

"Wheeee..." called one small guest, imitating the sound of a police siren and waving. His police hat fell over his eyes as a MLPD officer returned the wave.