NATIONAL NIGHT OUT GAME ON UPDATE: Who will win $50 Grocery Outlet Gift Card?

South San Francisco, CA     July 30, 2015

Only 4 days left until an WINNER is announced and to date we have FOUR neighborhoods who have reported they are hosting a NATIONAL NIGHT OUT for their area and have entered our contest. It’s easy and it’s fun so what are YOU waiting for? See what your neighbors from Avalon/ Brentwood, West Winston Manor, Paradise Valley and Francisco Terrace are saying below!

To enter simply answer these two questions:

1. What makes your neighborhood so special OR what would you do to change your neighborhood?
2. In what neighborhood do you live where you are attending National Night Out?

WINNER WILL BE RANDOMLY CHOSEN ON SATURDAY AUGUST 1st!

WHAT IS NATIONAL NIGHT OUT (NNO)?

It is time once again for our National Night Out and for our community to take advantage of the national promotion encouraging us all to meet up with our neighbors on our block on the evening of  Tuesday August 4th. Neighbors celebrate in 16,124 communities from all fifty states, U.S. Territories, Canadian cities, and military bases worldwide, reports the official NNO website. This annual event brings the opportunity for neighbors to strengthen their City, block by block, reducing crime, and increasing neighborhood pride and safety and well being.

All that is required is for our neighbors to turn on their porch light, open the front door and come outside in the evening around 6pm and visit with other neighbors.  As our City continues to grow and change this is one great way to keep our small town feeling by getting to know those who live on our block. And our small town feeling is one special bond we cannot allow to fall wayward, it is the heart of our community.

This weekend is a great time to start talking to your neighbors about August 4th and getting neighbors on board to meet up. NNO was started in 1981 with the purpose of creating stronger neighborhoods which in turn reduces crime. Which increases neighborhood safety. And increases property values.  And increases happier neighbors!

WHAT DO WE TALK ABOUT?

It’s a great time to catch up with neighbors about local happenings, discuss what changes might be coming to the neighborhood, or City, to get to know a bit more about those on our block. It also offers the perfect opportunity to talk with neighbors in a fun friendly manner which goes a long way when there are minor issues along the year: parking, noise, animals, landscape, etc.

Often we might have a certain mind set about a household yet after having this annual meet up we learn background information that brings a new understanding to situations. That extra car on the block might belong to a family member who needed to move back home to take care of a parent. The owners of the barking dog might not be aware of how loud or annoying the barking is to others until someone says something in an informal event such as NNO. Another neighbor might be admiring landscaping on the home down the street and now can get more details. All of these side conversations go a long way in strengthening our City, block by block.

Your event can be as easy and simple as you want or more extensive, according to your neighborhood’s desire. Some ideas include:

Turn on your porch light
• Sit outside in a lawn chair
• Introduce yourself to your next door neighbors
• Let your kids put out a lemonade stand
• Take a walk around the neighborhood
• Order a pizza & share with friends
• Get neighbors to host a Progressive Dinner Party
• Win a $50 Certificate for South City Grocery Outlet to use for your NNO event!
• Organize a few kid games
• Contact the City to invite SSF Police and/ or SSF Fire personnel to stop by your block
• Invite neighbors to potluck BBQ

What neighbors are saying as they enter our GAME ON:

FRANCISCO TERRACE by Angelica Peradotto:

We will be celebrating NNO on Francisco Terrace block!! it’s so special because i didn’t grow up there but everyone in the neighborhood makes me feel like I lived there forever they are so kind and considerate and look out for each other. thank you for making the terrace my home for me and my family. what we would like to see different besides the new park is to have everyone one come home and be neighbors again. so many of us had damage to our homes from the storm in December I would just like too walk down the block and see everyone again like I did before instead of empty houses. I can’t wait to see everyone.

AVALON PARK/ BRENTWOOD by Steve Carey:

We are hosting an NNO event in Avalon Park, on Dorado Way near the baseball field. We encourage all of our neighbors to attend and help make this outing fun. Please contact my email if you would like to help out with this project or future community outreach work that we are doing. ( avalonparkbrentwoodhoa@comcast.net )  See our FACEBOOK page for updates

1. What makes Avalon Park / Brentwood Great?
A: We are a quiet neighborhood. A drive through our neighborhoods will show you pleasant settings and scenic vistas. Our neighborhoods are well established. We are an important part of South San Francisco history. An important part of our neighborhood is the long held tradition of well kept homes and friendly neighbors. On my block, we are fortunate to enjoy wonderful neighbors who gather regularly for birthdays, holidays, and anniversaries. Home is also a place where some of the best of friends live, and this has been important to all of us.

2. What changes would I like to see in our neighborhoods?
A: I would like to see our Brentwood shopping area return to a few things that I remember. The Brentwood Lodge was a place we all enjoyed very much. To be fair, I have not been to the new restaurant so we need to give it a try. I would like to see maybe an ice cream or gelato shop, a coffee breakfast diner. I am hoping that Centennial Village brings a much better super market and maybe a night spot? We often visit the town areas in Half Moon Bay, San Carlos, and other locations in the bay area. I believe that our Brentwood area could compete with those areas if it is developed in a more modern way.

PARADISE VALLEY by Linda S:

Our National Night Out is on Drake Avenue and they’ve been doing it for a few years but we only went last year and it was good to meet people that we see sometimes but we didn’t know. Everyone seemed really nice. We moved here a few years ago because we are close to San Francisco where my husband works and I work in San Mateo so we are close to everything. I heard they were going to build on the mountain (Sign Hill) and we don’t want them to do that. Sometimes cars and motorcycles race on the street above our house (Sister Cities Blvd) and we don’t like that because we are afraid cars will fly off the road and hit our house like they did before we lived here. But mostly we really like it here.

WEST WINSTON MANOR by Ava Marie Romero:

My peeps in West Winston Manor are the best community ever, I love my people. They love Chef Ava right back! We have our block party at Clay Avenue Park between Clay and Dundee drive. We been doing it for 4 years in a row, and were super excited ESC!

The only changes I would like to see is

1. Maybe if i were to do a cooking demo, I recently taught a cooking class at South San Francisco library I have 20 students and they were inspired. So maybe for 2016 I’ll do my hometown live cooking demo, I know it’s too late this year. But next year I’ll possibly do a cooking demo. Neighbors want that. It would be something light and fresh like salsas and relishes nothing on the heat or stove like.
2. Also the neighborhood should consider hosting a raffle for non board members (neighbors as well) they done that before, but not at national night out so that I would like to see. And good company is always best! They will have hot dogs, chips and drink at 6-8pm I’m going be there, so will the neighbors of West Winston Manor! But overall we are the best of the best!