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“It’s great to have all of these officials talking about how much support they want to give us, but the way I see it, parents and neighbors are the true security,” Sylvia Harkless said Monday at Sacks Playground, 400 Washington Ave.
The resident of the 1900 block of Federal Street took her granddaughters, Monique, 8, and Chandra, 5, to the Dickinson Square West recreation site for the National Night Out Kickoff Rally, a precursor to Tuesday evening’s event through which more than 37 million citizens united to promote the eradication of crime. For Harkless, the occasion included gladness and sadness, as it allowed the girls to pick up safety tips and engage in levity with their peers yet marked the third anniversary of her brother’s shooting death in Atlanta.
“People like to use the term ‘senseless violence,’ but when does it ever make sense?” the Point Breeze dweller said of Marcus Gibbons’ passing. “Thugs cut him down in the prime of his life over mistaken identity. He was a grown man, and it tears me up that people way younger than he was are getting gunned down, too.”
Harkless and hundreds of similar safety seekers spent three hours learning and subsequently stressing the need for involving themselves in crime prevention activities, developing partnerships with the police and engaging neighbors in spotting, reporting and speaking out against discord. A veteran of all 30 Philadelphia versions of the National Association of Town Watch’s homage to Public Safety Month, she believes criminals are becoming smarter and residents are growing more petrified.
“But we can’t let them think they’re winning,” Harkless said. “I’ve lived in what I’d call a troubled area for most of my life, so I sense this is the time to get the bad guys running scared. If more people can think like me, maybe we can feel safe, some of us for the first time in ages.”
As she and her relatives inspected organizations’ tables and read materials, other attendees dined on hamburgers, hot dogs and soft pretzels, with the younger crowd making use of the recreational equipment, too. Harkless engaged Michael Bell of United Communities Southeast Philadelphia, 2029 S. Eighth St., in a gun violence discussion upon learning his organization will hold an Aug. 15 meeting at Dixon House, 1920 S. 20th St. Taking from it an even deeper appreciation for leading youths to productive pastimes and scholastic enthusiasm, she proceeded to Sacks’ grass field to hear the night’s speakers and performers. Mark Berman joined the throng to gather contacts and ideas for enhancing his Pennsport community’s sense of security.
“I would say our overall safety has improved,” the resident of the 300 block of Wharton Street and president of the Friends of Manton Street Park and Garden, 405-11 Manton St., said. “We have occasional incidents of vandalism, and litter is a visible issue, so we’re always looking for resources.”
National Night Out debuted Aug. 7, 1984, with 2.5 million citizens from 23 states adopting what the National Association of Town Watch has dubbed the “Lights On” campaign. Through subsequent celebrations, the entire nation, United States territories, Canadian cities and military bases worldwide have come to preach awareness of solidarity through such measures as block parties, cookouts, exhibits, movie screenings, rallies and safety seminars.
“It’s a great way to network and develop respect for our kids’ futures and our roles in them,” Gary Harkins, the community relations officer for the 3rd District, 1300 S. 11th St., said as he oversaw sack races. “They got to keep up the momentum, though, beyond tonight and tomorrow.”
Mayor Michael A. Nutter shared the policeman’s philosophy as he addressed the audience. Sacks and Northeast Philly’s Target Shopping Center served as kickoff sites, so Nutter reminded his listeners that their two nights of action should have many successors in the quest for calm.
“If you see something, say something,” the politician said. “Somebody knows everything that goes on in every neighborhood, so even if something happens on your block and you think, ‘Well, that’s OK because it didn’t happen to my family,’ realize that by not saying anything, you’re opening yourself up to the possibility that it could be someone you love, or even you, the next time.”
As the warm weather common during summer makes the season an obvious candidate for increased crime due to more social activities occurring, Nutter stressed increased vision among his constituents yet encouraged them not to shut their eyes the rest of the year.
“I absolutely agree,” Harkless said. “The sun’s going to be setting sooner in no time, and thieves, rapists and murderers are going to do what they do. It makes me sick.”
As she and the others learned how they can be their own preservers of peace, Chandra grooved to Artists Against Violence, a group of musicians with members not much older than her.
“That looks like fun,” she said as one boy strummed a guitar. “My grandmom always tells me kids shouldn’t have any worries. Every day should be about having a good time.”
For more information, visit natw.org.
Contact Staff Writer Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
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