By Alex Seidel
Special to the Reporter
Hello! I am Alex Seidel and I’m going to be a senior at Mercer Island High School this fall. I’m super excited to be hosting my second National Night Out for my neighborhood, East Seattle, and am organizing the first ever Mercer Island Central Business District National Night Out.
I first found out about National Night Out five years ago. We got an invitation for a little block party just around the corner from my house. Being a shy eighth-grader, I was a little nervous to go. Reluctantly, I walked down the street with my mom. Our first event was a quiet evening of meeting some neighbors and eating many bite-sized brownies. We shared phone numbers, emergency preparedness materials and promised to look out for one another.
Last year, I decided to extend the invitation to my entire neighborhood, and not just the one block. I reconnected with my fifth grade D.A.R.E. Officer and Emergency Preparedness Officer, Jennifer Franklin, to register my own National Night Out event. It was fun and easy to organize. I called on some neighborhood kids to help me with flyer distribution and put up posters on a few busy corners. The night finally arrived, and it was a huge success. There were neighbors who had lived in East Seattle for 50 years to neighbors who had lived there for only five days. The park where we hosted the event was buzzing with kids on scooters, dogs, old friends reconnecting, and new friendships forming. The highlights included visits from a MI police car, MI fire car and mayor Bruce Bassett.
I’m excited to share that for the first time, the Mercer Island Central Business District will have its very own National Night Out. On Tuesday, Aug. 6, from 6 to 9 p.m., join us at Mercerdale Park for a fun evening of getting to know one another, hosted by Council Member Tana Senn and the Mercer Island Police Department.
I’ve had such a positive experience with National Night Out, and I’d love for everyone to be a part of it. It’s a great way to meet neighbors and foster community spirit. If your neighborhood is having a National Night Out, go out and meet your neighbors. How about hosting one of your own? I’d be happy to share my invitations and ideas and help you get started. Nationally, NNO is celebrating its 30th year. Help Mercer Island celebrate our sixth year and join us in making this year’s “Mercer Island Night Out” the best one yet.
If you have any questions, contact either Alex Seidel or Officer Franklin at aseidel6012@gmail.com and jennifer.franklin@mercergov.org.
