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Neighbors turn out for National Night Out

At the annual Night Out Against Crime party Tuesday, Kayson Smith, 10, careens down the water slide that entertained the younger residents of the Richard Allen Apartments in the Perry District. The residents were treated to a barbecue, the water slide and live music. (Jesse Tinsley / The Spokesman-Review)
At the annual Night Out Against Crime party Tuesday, Kayson Smith, 10, careens down the water slide that entertained the younger residents of the Richard Allen Apartments in the Perry District. The residents were treated to a barbecue, the water slide and live music. (Jesse Tinsley / The Spokesman-Review)Buy a print of this photo
By Nina Culver nculver47@gmail.com

Kids arriving to the National Night Out party on Richard Allen Court Tuesday night made an enthusiastic beeline for either the cotton candy cart or the huge inflatable slide kept cool with a steady stream of water.

They climbed to the top of the slide and came down with a satisfying splash that usually got the kids waiting in line wet, and they didn’t seem to mind. Then it was time to run to the back of the never-ending line so they could do it again.

But 2-year-old Ashlii Durham needed a little convincing. She wanted to go up the slide, changed her mind, then changed it again.

“We got to the top and then she changed her mind again,” said her mother, Ashley Durham.

Mom, who hadn’t planned on getting wet, placed her daughter on her lap and down they went. Young Ashlii grudgingly admitted that it may have been fun.

Ashley Durham was making her first visit to the National Night Out party at Bryant Arms South, an apartment complex.

“I think it’s great,” she said. “The firefighters and the police are here and they have all these activities for the kids.”

The gathering, one of dozens held in Spokane County Tuesday night to bring neighbors together and promote partnerships with police, was organized by the Neighborhood Network South Perry Learning Center.

The nonprofit provides programs to area residents, including an after-school program and a summer program for teens, said network coordinator Betsey Williams.

“Everything we do is to help our community,” she said.

The teens helped organize this year’s National Night Out gathering, which explains the slide, the cotton candy, the face painting and the games for kids, Williams said.

“You can tell teens helped plan this,” she said.

Volunteers from Bethel AME Church helped serve the meal of hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecue chicken and salads to the hungry crowd.

Afton Leonard, who lives in the neighborhood, was pleased to see the new additions at this year’s picnic.

“They didn’t have all this last year,” she said. “I think it’s cool.”

The annual event is something people look forward to, Leonard said.

“I think it’s nice to get the kids out,” she said.