Andre Harriman, left, Saul Williams, center, and Shelber Burker share stories while grilling hot dogs during National Night Out at Washington Hills Family & Youth Development Center in Harrison on Tuesday.Chattanooga firefighters stood at the Washington Hills Youth and Family Development parking lot entrance Tuesday night inviting people to tour their firetruck. Brenda Hammond sat at a table near the entrance collecting resident information and distributing name tags. And Chattanooga Zoo community engagement director James L. Brantley showed off small zoo animals as residents walked through the center’s hallway.
“We understand we have to build bridges,” said Mayor Andy Berke, addressing the crowd Tuesday. “We’re going to work harder than ever to be one with the community.”
It was the city’s annual National Night Out celebration and Washington Hills was among dozens of neighborhood associations across the city participating. The night is an acclamation of a community’s power to stand against crime.
Residents organize to look out for each other to reduce crime in their community along with law enforcement.
St. Elmo residents held a parade. East Chattanooga Improvement Inc. and the Southside Chattanooga neighborhood groups hosted membership drives and the North Brainerd Community Council provided door prizes and entertainment for residents.