National Night Out Events Unite Tampa Communities

Growing up in Ft. Wayne, Ind., Marti Woznicki always felt a sense of community.

When she moved to South Tampa's Hyde Park area a few years ago, she felt a natural inclination to get involved in neighborhood watch.

"It sounded like a way to connect with my neighbors, and watch out for them," said Woznicki, neighborhood watch coordinator for the Historic Hyde Park Neighborhood Association.

In honor of Tuesday's National Night Out events, Tampa Bay residents like Woznicki gathered at locations such as the Kate Jackson Community Center, 821 S. Rome Avenue, to talk crime prevention and community. Other Tampa Bay neighborhoods and areas where events were held included Hyde Park, Bayshore Beautiful and MacFarlane Park.

The event at Kate Jackson Community Center, where residents munched on pizza and sipped bottled water on the basketball courts with Tampa police officers nearby, was one of many commemorating National Night Out, an annual event that encourages citizens to support anti-crime programs.

Participants of NNO were also asked to post photos of officers at NNO events to the Tampa Police Department's Facebook wall. The neighborhood with the most "likes" on one of their photos wins a visit from Chief Jane Castor. Residents can follow officers and citizens during NNO on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tampapd or on Twitter @TampaPD.

Tuesday's NNO events also allowed members of nearby communities to meet each other.

Andrea Augustine, president of the homeowner's association for Bayshore Beautiful, stopped by the Kate Jackson Community Center with cupcakes, since her neighborhood wasn't hosting an NNO event.

"I hope people realize the police department is approachable," she said, "and we can use them as the community resource they are."

Did you go to National Night Out events in Tampa Bay? Tell us in the comments.