Montgomery, Franconia Ready for National Night Out Tuesday

Cops and neighbors, coming together.

Several area municipal police departments, fire departments and emergency services personnel will show off their gear and talents and boost anti-crime awareness for free this week for the 30th annual National Night Out celebration.

Franconia Township

Franconia Township boasts a 17th National Night Out event with a food drive on Tuesday night.

The annual Franconia Township Police Food Drive sees local business banding together to collect and donate food for a collection contest. Business taking part this year include Bergey’s Buick & GMC, Bergey’s Chrysler & Jeep, The Heritage Restaurant, Univest Bank, Hopewell Church, Weimer Insurance and Franconia police.

Franconia Police expect to pack Franconia Township Community Park on Allentown Road with more than 3,000 people from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

All parking is at the vacant Pilgrim’s Pride plant at Route 113 and Allentown Road. Hay rides will shuttle visitors to the event. There is no parking on the Godshall Road side of the park.

One lucky child will win a free bike. Parents were asked to submit pictures of their children wearing safety helmets on bikes via the Franconia Police Facebook page.

This year’s event features two new additions: free personal document shredding and an appearance by Allentown Iron Pigs mascot FeRROUS.

Shredding via Richter’s Mobile Shredding goes from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. FeRROUS will be at the basket raffle booth from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The Food Drive Basket Raffle includes prizes from Iron Pigs, Reading Phillies, Philadelphia Phillies, Philadelphia 76ers, Philadelphia Wings, Heritage Restaurant, Rising Sun Inn, Old Dutch Cupboard, Daschbach’s Dental and Asher’s Chocolates.

Bring a non-perishable canned good and get one free raffle ticket per item. No limits.

The most entertaining part of Franconia’s National Night Out will be when Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Ferman, Franconia Chief Joseph Kozeniewski, Souderton Perseverance Fire Co. President James Gallagher, and other chiefs and personnel, hop on children’s bikes for the Public Safety Bike Race at 6:45 p.m.

Mark Cashatt’s Tae Kwon Do students will perform at 7 p.m.

Get to check out the inside and outside of a MedEvac helicopter at 7:15 p.m.

Candy will fall from Heaven at 7:45 p.m. when Keystone Radio Control Club does its Airplane Candy Drop.

Check out the other features at National Night Out:

• Kids Fun Zone with a hot air balloon walkabout, bounce houses, and face painting
• Tiny Tots SWAT Obstacle Course, sponsored by North Penn Tactical Response Team
• Kids’ Fire Safety House, sponsored by Weimer Insurance and Perkaise Fire Department
• Model aircraft show
• Distribution of children’s fingerprint kits and fingerprint identification, sponsored by Univest.
• Custom car show by Rayco Productions

Montgomery Township

Montgomery Township public safety personnel will hold their National Night Out from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Witchwood Plaza parking lot outside Target.

Montgomery Township Police state that the National Night Out event “designed to heighten and generate support for anticrime programs and to strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships.”

Featured at the Montgomery Township National Night Out:

• Petting Zoo
• Fire Department of Montgomery Township Rescue Demo
• Montgomery Township Police K-9 Demo
• Laurel House Domestic Abuse Response Team members
• Volunteer Medical Service Corps
• Montgomery Township Police and its Bike Unit and Crime Prevention Unit
• Fire Department of Montgomery Township
• JeffStat helicopter