The Blackford Neighborhood Action Coalition’s National Night Out held at Starbird Park was one of the largest in San Jose with over eight hundred in attendance. Community United, the San Jose Chapter of Happy House Los Angeles, was one of the primary sponsors of the event along with several of the local churches, businesses and community members.

The goals of National Night Out are to:

• Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness
• Generate support for, and participation in, local anti-crime efforts
• Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships
• Send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back

We definitely met these goals!

The weather was beautiful, the hot dogs were great and the air was buzzing with all the interest and activity.

Nancy Cartwright and the executives of Happy House flew to San Jose to attend the event and participate in the graduation of over thirty children who had just completed The Way to Happiness Good Choices Program at Starbird Park Youth Center.   City Manager Debra Figone, Councilmember Pete Constant, and  Joe Mosely from the Mayor’s Gang Prevention Task Force attended from the City.  The Police Department was well represented  with Police Chief Rob Davis, Police Captain JR Gamez, and two Campbell Police Captains all in attendance for the Graduation Ceremonies.

Nancy and the City of San Jose were also presented with a piece of art entitled “Peaces of a Dream” by local artist Debbie Arambula. The piece symbolizes that it takes two people, two city officials, two towns, two countries standing side by side to create change….” This piece exemplifies what we are creating together.

There were over 20 volunteers from Community United helping with booths, food, entertainment and all the logistics of putting on an event of this magnitude. The mounted police and the fire department were there to help as well.

The air was full of over three hundred yellow Good Choices balloons. The Community United – Happy House booth handed out hundreds of The Way to Happiness booklets to community members.

The City of San Jose and Community United have worked hand in hand throughout the summer to create this event and deliver The Way to Happiness Good Choices program to over fifty youths in the community. The culmination of all this hard work was a success!

Nancy and the executives from Happy House also made a stop at the Alma Youth Center to meet with the teens from that center and present awards to those who were working towards completion of their Way To Happiness Good Choices Program. This was the highlight of the program for them and something they will always remember.

We are looking forward to our next partnership and creating magic!