Hundreds gathered for UMB’s National Night Out to enjoy food, fun, resources, and meaningful conversations that strengthened relationships between the University and its neighbors.
Photo: UMB Police Chief Thomas Leone talks with community members.
The stifling heat didn’t stop the fun at the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s (UMB) National Night Out event Aug. 4. Hundreds showed up at the corner of Poppleton and West Baltimore streets for the annual community-building event hosted by UMB Police and Public Safety.
“It’s a great opportunity for UMB and the community to come together and celebrate,” said Thomas Leone, MSL, assistant vice president for public safety and chief of police.
Many community members came to the event when they heard the music but stayed for the fellowship, community resources, giveaways, and much more.
“I saw the crowd, so I pulled over and came out,” said Dominique Stokes, who owns Sacred House, a yoga studio and healing space on West Baltimore Street. “It’s a beautiful day, it’s a great turnout, so I said, ‘I need to be there!’ ”
Watch a video about National Night Out below or on YouTube.
The lot was lined with tables from UMB, community, local, and state partners providing resources to the community. The Maryland Poison Center, which is located on UMB’s campus, stumped visitors with its “medication or candy” display. The UMB Office of the Fire Marshal rewarded visitors who played Plinko with a variety of prizes.
Attendees also were treated a lot of free giveaways, including dozens of backpacks and school supplies for local youth; hundreds of hamburgers and hot dogs; treats from Auntie Anne’s Pretzels, Kona Ice, Taharka Brothers, and Starbucks; bicycle helmets; and much more.
Last year, UMB Police and Public Safety ran out of backpacks and school supplies. It was the first time the department collected supplies to donate back to the community. This year, the department brought even more.
“What brought me to UMB was our whole sense of community. We want to be a collaborator. We want to be a partner with our community,” Leone said. “Our community and UMB coming together, it just means the world to me.”
Stokes agreed.
“We need each other. We’ve got to stick together,” she said. “I want us to have more trust, more camaraderie, more community in our neighborhoods because it takes a village. When we create those relationships [with police], we know that they support us and we support them back.”