WORTON — National Night Out on Tuesday, Aug. 5 marked its fifth anniversary as a countywide celebration at Worton Park, where Kent County youth, families, nonprofits and law enforcement came together to promote a safe and caring community.
Event partners included Minary’s Dream Alliance, Kent County Local Management Board, Kent County Health Department’s Office of Prevention, Kent County Parks and Recreation, the Department of Parole and Probation, Chestertown Police Department and Kent County Sheriff’s Office.
Representatives from many other agencies and organizations were in attendance to share information about the services they offer and to hand out fun giveaways for kids.
Kent County State’s Attorney Bryan DiGregory delivered the keynote address and served as the umpire of a kickball game that pitted Public Safety partners against youth and youth development leaders, with the latter winning by a score of 5-3.
This was followed by a pickup kickball game for children and their families.
The event also featured the presentation of the inaugural Vanessa Maddox Community Service Award, with more than a dozen of Maddox’s family, some of whom had traveled a great distance, in attendance.
“Miss Vanessa,” a longtime substitute teacher at H.H. Garnet Elementary School in Chestertown, passed away in February.
The award in recognition of Maddox’s legacy of service and compassion for Kent County’s children was presented to Washington College’s Hip Hop Time Capsule program, which concluded its fifth annual summer internship session on July 18.
As part of that program, 36 paid high school interns, many of whom were in attendance for the award presentation, partnered with college mentors to create mural art, silk screen pieces, metal- and wood-working projects, and music recordings that honor the tradition of labor and innovation in the “uptown” Chestertown area.
The evening concluded with a free pool party at the Kent County Community Center, adjacent to Worton Park.
