Articles / Opinions by Thompson

As many residents have taken these summer months as an opportunity for vacation, I can assure you that there was no such time off for my office or I. We marched on through the hot days to continue to serve our district the very best we that can. And now, faster than I could imagine, we  are almost into August, with school starting at the end of the month. But before the rest of summer slowly slips away, I want to share some information about a few August events going on in our district.

On Tuesday, August 2 communities around District 4 will celebrate the 27^th Annual National Night Out event. National Night Out is known as “America’s Night Out Against Crime.” The event is designed to promote drug and crime prevention awareness while encouraging police-community partnerships.

National Night Out strengthens neighborhood spirit and pride by bringing residents together for the common good and improvement of their streets. The event is an inexpensive way for prevention tips and ideas to be expressed and shared throughout the neighborhood.

Communities across the nation will participate on the same night to come together and speak out. Held every year on the first Tuesday in August since 1984, National Night Out started as traditional light vigils and front porch candles, and has quickly morphed into block parties, cookouts and parades.

Since being elected I’ve continued to press on the importance of community involvement and safety of our neighborhoods. Our District 4 communities’ participation in this event is a great example of neighbors coming together to fight crime and actively push for a better place to call home. The high profile nature of this event shows criminals that the community is organized and has no patience for mischief. Events like these are just some of what continue to make District 4 a great place to live.

Active participation in our community by residents is what great communities are built on. That’s why I’d like to invite you to the District 4 Back to School Day on August 13. We have been hard at work to collect school supplies for children and families living in District 4. On the day of the event, which is located at the Orange County Orlando Magic Recreation Center in Meadow Woods, the District 4 Office will distribute 1,000 backpacks to our district’s kids! The goal of this event is to give parents and their children the necessary tools for a successful school year.

But that’s not all that’s going on – this is a community event, complete with free food, entertainment, a health fair, business expo and more. The event will run from 11:00am-2:00pm, with backpack distribution beginning at 12:30pm. Backpacks are on a first come first serve basis and the child must be present to receive a backpack. Families are welcome to pick up backpacks and spend the afternoon enjoying the different vendors and learning about the various Orange County Departments. The departments will have representatives on hand to answer questions and pass out information on services and opportunities available to residents.

District 4 is filled with amazing residents. I am honored to be your Commissioner and will continue to serve you to the best of my ability. Again, please know that my door is always open if you have any questions or concerns. You can reach me at Jennifer.Thompson@OCFL.net or call my office at (407)836-5881.