By Brenda Erdahl
Folks in Maple Lake should be on the look out Tuesday, Aug. 3 for the local fire department as they tour neighborhoods handing out cold treats in honor of National Night Out.
The department has been doing this for more than a decade as part of the national campaign to promote police-community partnerships and encourage safe living and neighborly activity. The trucks will stop for anyone out-of-doors that night and offer them a freezie.
Last year the event was pushed back to October because of the pandemic, but it’s back on track this year. The fun starts around 6 p.m. on Tuesday night. The trucks will leave the station and head out in all directions with the intent to visit every neighborhood in the city. When firefighters see people in the streets, on the sidewalks or in yards, they will stop and offer a cold treat, MLFD Chief Steve Peterson said. They make sure they hit the city parks, and on occasion, the Wright County Saddle Club is paid a visit.
Across the country, millions of people spend this night at cookouts, block parties, parades, and law enforcement agencies and emergency services host demonstrations and spend time in the community.
Over the past decade, the Maple Lake effort has grown from giving out about 150 ice cream sandwiches to 400 or so. This year the MLFD decided something new was in order so they will be giving out freezies instead.
The idea behind the event is to put faces on the men and women whose job is to serve and protect the community.
National Night Out is a chance for the department to engage with the community, and everyone is invited to watch for the fire truck as it comes down the street and snag a tasty treat.