National Night Out Planning Packet

Transcription

1 National Night Out Planning Packet October A GOOD NIGHT TO GET TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS! National Night Out is a wonderful opportunity for you to build relationships with the neighbors who live around you. We are glad you are joining the movement. This packet is intended to provide you with simple ideas and tools to help you and your neighbors have a wonderful experience together. At Oak Hills Church, we believe neighbors are awesome. We are the Body of Christ called to be Jesus in every neighborhood in our city and beyond is more than a slogan. It is our mission! Because of this, National Night Out (Tuesday, October 1, 2013) is one of our favorite nights of the year. It is the perfect night to get out of the house and into your neighborhood. After NNO, we would love to hear about your celebration. Please send your stories and photos to CommunityLife@OakHillsChurch.com. Thank you for bringing the love of Jesus to your neighborhood this year. Have an amazing National Night Out! Blessings, OHC Community Life Team

2 National Night Out: Promotion Ideas Where to Start Many San Antonio Home Owner Associations (HOAs) already have something planned, check and see if anything is planned in your neighborhood and join in, offer to help, or volunteer to help get something planned. Many San Antonio apartment complexes plan something for their tenants; find a way to join in. Host a NNO event in your neighborhood. Ask your neighbors to join you, form a group to plan and host the event, it s a great place to start connecting with those around you. If this is your first NNO event, don t feel like you have to plan a big or complicated event. Turn on the outside lights, put out some lawn chairs and some drinks/snacks and just welcome your neighbors to stop by and introduce themselves. How to Promote Rally Your Neighbors-Talk up the event with those around you. Invite them and ask them to invite others. Put signs in your yard and/or at the entrance of your neighborhood advertising your event. Put fliers on your neighbor s doors inviting them to get involved. If you need volunteers to help or items donated be sure to include that information. Do you have a neighborhood Facebook page or list. Put the word out on those. Contact your HOA and ask if they can help you with advertising by putting a notice in any correspondence they send out or on websites. Post fliers at your community center or other neighborhood gathering spot. If you have a local business within your neighborhood, invite them to join you with advertisements or donations. National Night Out: Official Links National Night Out: Helpful Party Planning Links

3 National Night Out: Food Ideas Snacks Watermelon Chips and salsa Pretzels and chips Fruit and cheese plate Vegetables and dip Nachos Drinks Coffee Iced Tea Water Lemonade Punch Meals Potluck - bring your specialty Pizza Hamburgers Hot dogs Chicken Salads Chili Fish fry Fajitas Tacos Desserts Cookies Ice cream cones Snow cones Fun Foods Corn on the cob Ice Cream Sundae Bar Freezer pops Popcorn Bar Fruit cups Themes Hawaiian Cowboy/Western Spurs Patriotic Back to School

4 National Night Out: Activity Ideas Youth Bike parade Board games Skits Make a mural or banner Coloring Contest Pony rides McGruff the Crime Dog 3-legged race Football, baseball, basketball. Street hockey Roller blade Youth parade with a theme Jump rope Chalk art Face painting Bubbles Sack races Magic show Sing-alongs Water balloons Frisbee competition Piñata Clowns Bike Safety Child ID Kits All Ages Block party Cookout Parade Jump rope contest Hula hoop contest Barbeque Street dance Volleyball Storytelling (truth or fiction) Celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, etc. Scavenger hunt Visits from police, fire and EMS Live Music Take lots of pictures Karaoke Rummage sale Music and DJ Dunk tank Movies Sandy beach party Street carnival Disposable camera distribution/photo contest Self-defense demonstration Jail & Bail K-9 demonstration Funniest hat contest Bean bag toss Washers Giant Jenga Ladder Golf Photo Booth Horseshoes Card games

5 National Night Out: Other Group Conversation Starters / Mixers Share neighborhood history stories Share previous National Night Out stories Photos from past block parties and NNO events Design a mixer or ice breaker: Getting to Know You (sample included) Oldest resident award Longest resident award Newest resident award Contribute to the Community Collect food for a food bank Set up a table and invite business owners to bring a small display or have a bulletin board where people can display business cards or help wanted/offered notices Plan a neighbor run for charity Plan a prayer walk to cover your neighborhood in prayer Have sign-up sheets for neighborhood groups that are formed or wanting to form (Bible Studies, Men and Women s groups, mother/baby play dates, book clubs, walking groups, fitness groups, etc.) Beautify a common area Plan a fall clean-up or flower planting day Recruit additional Neighborhood Watch leaders and block captains Discuss neighborhood concerns and problems- submit them to your HOA or Apartment manager Come up with ideas on ways to make your neighborhood a better, safer friendlier place - submit to your HOA or Apartment manager. Have a sign-up sheet where neighbors can list their contact information and give permission to share that in a neighborhood list Discuss outdoor lighting in the area or ways to provide better safety Welcome new neighbors or talk about ways to welcome neighbors - put together ideas for a welcome basket or new neighbor packet

6 National Night Out: Sample Invitation National Night Out In conjunction with National Night Out Against Crime, we are having a Block Party and YOU are invited! Tuesday, October 1 Neighborhood: Time: Location: Please Bring: Contact:

7 National Night Out: Sample Poster BLOCK PARTY! Tuesday, October 1 Time: Location: Please Bring: Contact:

8 National Night Out: Icebreaker Game Getting to Know You Find someone who fits the descriptions listed in each of the questions below. Have them sign their names after the appropriate description. If you fill all the lines with a name, your sheet will be placed in a drawing for a prize that will be awarded during our National Night Out celebration. Find someone who: 1. is formerly or currently in the military. 2. has lived in this neighborhood for over 10 years. 3. is having a birthday this month or next month. 4. graduated from a high school in San Antonio. 5. likes to ride the Superman rollercoaster at Fiesta Texas. 6. has three or more children. 7. is wearing contact lenses. 8. has seen the movie Avatar 9. watches American Idol. 10. walks or jogs for exercise on a regular basis. 11. reads a newspaper every day. 12. has a celebrity s autograph. 13. enjoys gardening. 14. was not born in Texas. 15. enjoys decorating their home and yard for the Holidays. 16. knows the name of San Antonio s Mayor. 17. is a grandparent. Submitted by: