Crime & Safety
EP's National Night Out 2011
Tuesday's gathering brought cops and community together in the Walgreen's parking lot. Gary Leonard snapped it all up.
Hundreds of locals joined Echo Park businesses, organizations and healthcare providers for the Sixth Annual Echo Park National Night Out Block Party.
Tables, booths, a stage area and a bouncy house filled much of the Walgreen's parking lot just off Sunset Boulevard.
The event began at 5 p.m. and was set to end at 8 p.m. But a well-attended and generously-endowed raffle kept crowds--especially kids--there well after for backpacks and other prizes.
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Free Eye Exams A Draw
Another top draw was the L.A. Host Lions' eye exam truck, where lines snaked around the lot. Outgoing Lions president Fredy Perez presided.
Find out what's happening in Echo Park-Silver Lakewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Barlow Respiratory also offered free diabetes and respiratory testing
Speakers included Captain Bill Murphy and Senior Lead Officer Bobby Hill of Northeast Division. Many Northeast officers were also on hand. The omniprescent Mitchell Frank of the Echo and the Echo Park Chamber of Commerce also said a few words.
Positive Energy Group Is Main Organizer
Event organizer Rosie Betanzos and her Positive Energy Group worked tirelessly for months to bring the event back to Echo Park.
Echo Park Patch had a booth where the brave wrote haiku to celebrate the moment. Click to read a few.
Media Come Out and Play
Other community and media groups on hand included TheEastsiderLA, Echo Park Now, the Los Feliz Ledger, the Echo Park Improvement Association and the Echo Park Recreation Center.
