Roslindale continues celebrating National Night Out

While thousands packed the Franklin Park Zoo last week to celebrate National Night Out, an equally successful event was held in Adams Park.

The event, which was the only sizeable celebration in the Parkway, brought together residents from Roslindale, West Roxbury and other neighborhoods of Boston to to promote community spirit and foster relationships with law enforcement.

It was the 11th time in as many years that Roslindale has participated in the nationwide fete. With Mother Nature’s cooperation, a few hundred people and pets stopped by for the two-hour event. Among the night’s highlights was the entertainment provided by various community organizations and the community service awards bestowed on residents of West Roxbury and Roslindale.

Those honored for their service included Ryan Fitzgerald and David McNulty of the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services, Tom Dougherty, Mary Mulvey Jacobson, Janice Williams, Maurice Penn, Deborah Bloom, Laurie Jo Wallace, Marna Perschini, Karen Payne and Angie Miller.

“It’s always nice to be recongized by your own neighbors,” said Cathy Slade, a community activist who was on hand to present the awards and also helped to organize the event.

Slade was joined by Boston Police Department Deputy Superintendent Michael Cox. For Cox, the newly appointed commander of Zone 3, which includes West Roxbury, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain and Mattapan, it was one of his first official visits to Roslindale.

Also honored at the Boston-wide celebration was the Penfield-Pinehurst Crime Watch. The group, which is composed of Roslindale residents living on and around those streets, was recognized as being one of Boston’s Top 10 Crime Watch groups. The group has consistently met to work on crime as it comes up. Since the group’s beginning, its members have addressed such issues as street robberies, speeding, trash and noise. According to police, by working regularly with officers from Area E-5, it is easier to address and remedy crime in the community.

Representatives from the office of Suffolk County Sheriff Andrea J. Cabral also had a table at the event where adults were offered literature about the corrections department in Suffolk County, and kids were given the opportunity of becoming junior deputys. For Matt O’Malley of the sherriff’s office, it was an opportunity to represent his employer in the park where he played as a child. According to O’Malley, the strong attendence was indicative of the strength of the community.

“This neighborhood is as safe and as strong as the people who live here. It’s a nice celebration for Roslindale as a neighbhorhood and its promise,” said O’Malley as he offered a shiny star with six points to a toddler and her sister.

Members of Healthy Roslindale joined the sheriff’s office in handing out free goodies. Michael Rodriquez handed out the Healthy Roslindale bags, which resembled the aqua bags used by Tiffany, the jewelry retailer. Rodriquez, 13, of Roslindale by way of Puerto Rico, said he wasn’t a member of the group, but that he was happy to be at the event.

“I’m not in Healthy Roslindale, but I came with a friend. He told me to help, so I’m here helping,” said Rodriquez.

Jessica Smith can be reached at jsmith@cnc.com.