Eagan Comes Together for National Night Out

John Lonnee remembers participating in the tradition for many years in St. Paul before becoming an Eagan resident. Lonnee was the first resident this year to register a party in Eagan.

Lonnee knows about connecting with neighbors. He's the chairman of the Oakbrook Association, a community of more than 108 homes off of Diffley Road and Johnny Cake Ridge Road. The association is committed to keeping the neighborhood a safe and clean place to live, Lonnee said.

Last year he talked with those in the association, and they agreed to put money toward things needed for National Night Out. This year, with the same funding, he has also rounded up donations from Kowalski’s Market in Eagan to help feed at least 90 people expected to attend the party.

But Lonnee also knows the night isn’t just about hosting a big party.

“It’s an awareness thing,” Lonnee said. “We need to watch out for our neighbors.”

This year, National Night Out is sponsored by the Eagan Police and Fire Departments, the Streets Department, and the Eagan Citizen’s Crime Prevention Association, all of which hope to see more crime prevented by getting to know those around you.

National Night Out will bring people together tonight in the spirit of making Eagan and other communities a safer place to live.

“Everyone has busy lives,” Eagan Police Department Crime Prevention Specialist Jill Ondrey said. “But this is an opportunity to get to know your neighbors and know what is and isn’t suspicious in your neighborhood.”

The night isn’t just about neighbors connecting to neighbors. The police department, the fire department and city council members will also be out in force to discuss important issues facing Eagan neighborhoods.

And for some residents in the Eagan area, it could be a night to meet one-on-one with their state representative. Rep. Rick Hansen, DFL-39A, plans to meet with constituents, including in Eagan’s first precinct.

Residents can also participate in a food drive for the local food shelf. Parties that raise more than 50 pounds of food during the night will have the opportunity to win a four-pack of tickets to a Minnesota Twins game. This year’s event is reaching to top last year’s total of 36,000 pounds of food raised.

The first 124 parties registered this year also get the opportunity to win a four-pack of tickets to Target Field. The first 150 parties registered are guaranteed a visit from the Eagan police and fire departments.

An item of new technology, created this year by the Eagan Police Department, may also make it easier for residents to find the nearest party to attend. An interactive map marking all the parties registered has been deployed on the city’s website. The map allows a person to click on the party nearest them and get information on the time, address and approximate number of residents attending the party. City officials hope this will help those who are looking to participate in National Night Out events this year but are unsure of party locations.

There are 171 parties registered so far this year—the thirteenth year Eagan has participated in National Night Out. Since beginning in 1998, participation in the city of Eagan has risen drastically from 20 parties to over 150 parties last year, according to the city of Eagan’s website.

But the event has been around long before Eagan started participating. National Night Out was being celebrated across the country and the state of Minnesota for over more than 15 years before the city latched on.

It is known, though, that prevention is hard to measure. But the night gives the Eagan Police Department, the fire department, city council members and other government officials the opportunity to strengthen the relationships between themselves and the communities they serve. This, they say, will help make Eagan a better place to live.

If you would still like to register a party for National Night Out, you can register online with the city of Eagan or in person with the Eagan Police Department.