Friday, August 04, 2006
Cape Coral Florida Neighborhoods Friendly
'It's about neighbors helping neighbors'
Local founder keeps Night Out tradition
By Rachel Myers
rmyers@news-press.com
Originally posted on August 02, 2006
Not even a bum knee could keep Bernie Brayden from
missing a night out meeting her neighbors — even the
night before her 83rd birthday.
Founder of the first Neighborhood Watch group in Cape Coral,
she was there when the city held its first National Night Out
in the mid-1980s. Still recovering Tuesday from knee surgery,
Brayden wasn't about to miss the event, held each year in
neighborhoods across the country to display solidarity against
crime and drugs.
On the first Tuesday in August, neighbors get out and meet
one another — usually with some type of entertainment — and
keep their porch lights on, which symbolizes lights out on
crime.
"Everyone should know someone in the area," Brayden said.
"If I saw a car go around twice, I would say, 'Can I help you?
OK, because we take care of our own here.' "
It wasn't that crime was rampant when Brayden moved to the
city in 1962, but she wanted to make sure that never happened.
In 1988, when the police department received a plaque for
having the 30th best participation for National Night Out —
out of nearly 10,000 communities — police presented it to her.
"They handed me the plaque and said, 'This belongs to you,'
" she said. "I thought that was a nice gesture."
Although Tuesday was the first year she didn't host her own
event, she arrived to one gathering in style, escorted by
Cape Officer John Tsourkas.
"She's great," Tsourkas said. "There should be more people
like her. If there were, there would be a lot less crime."
He said an officer would be present in each of the four
neighborhoods participating.
The city's current Neighborhood Watch president, Sarah Penna,
said this year's event is dedicated to those serving in the
military. With a $250 donation from Target, she bought light
bulbs to distribute.
"We're united and we are growing in numbers," Penna said.
"It's about neighbors helping neighbors."
Local founder keeps Night Out tradition
By Rachel Myers
rmyers@news-press.com
Originally posted on August 02, 2006
Not even a bum knee could keep Bernie Brayden from
missing a night out meeting her neighbors — even the
night before her 83rd birthday.
Founder of the first Neighborhood Watch group in Cape Coral,
she was there when the city held its first National Night Out
in the mid-1980s. Still recovering Tuesday from knee surgery,
Brayden wasn't about to miss the event, held each year in
neighborhoods across the country to display solidarity against
crime and drugs.
On the first Tuesday in August, neighbors get out and meet
one another — usually with some type of entertainment — and
keep their porch lights on, which symbolizes lights out on
crime.
"Everyone should know someone in the area," Brayden said.
"If I saw a car go around twice, I would say, 'Can I help you?
OK, because we take care of our own here.' "
It wasn't that crime was rampant when Brayden moved to the
city in 1962, but she wanted to make sure that never happened.
In 1988, when the police department received a plaque for
having the 30th best participation for National Night Out —
out of nearly 10,000 communities — police presented it to her.
"They handed me the plaque and said, 'This belongs to you,'
" she said. "I thought that was a nice gesture."
Although Tuesday was the first year she didn't host her own
event, she arrived to one gathering in style, escorted by
Cape Officer John Tsourkas.
"She's great," Tsourkas said. "There should be more people
like her. If there were, there would be a lot less crime."
He said an officer would be present in each of the four
neighborhoods participating.
The city's current Neighborhood Watch president, Sarah Penna,
said this year's event is dedicated to those serving in the
military. With a $250 donation from Target, she bought light
bulbs to distribute.
"We're united and we are growing in numbers," Penna said.
"It's about neighbors helping neighbors."
