Veteran’s Memorial Park is no stranger to hosting lively community gatherings. Every Thursday evening this summer, the park has flourished with people and music as local bands take the stage for the Songs in the Park series. However, for one night only on August 6th, the music series joined forces with an even bigger event: National Night Out. Celebrated across the country, this annual campaign strengthens community camaraderie by bringing together neighbors, local police, and first responders together in a fun, family-friendly setting.
It’s far from the first time our local heroes have teamed up with the community, though, or with the night’s musical lineup! In a fitting twist, AZBY, who provided live music for Janesville’s Night Out, was last spotted helping the Janesville Fire Department raise funds at their annual Firemen’s Dance. It turns out the only thing stronger than this four-piece band’s covers of classics like Tom Petty’s “American Girl” and Guns N’Roses “Patience” is their commitment to giving back to their community.
A commitment, of course, shared by their previous partners the Janesville Fire Department. Members helped spread fire safety awareness with an interactive simulation. With a real hose attached to the truck, tots and children alike were invited to spray down “fires” in the windows of a pop-up house. While the flames were fake, the rainbows catching the sunlight in the spray–and the pure delight on the kid’s faces–were as real as it gets. Equally genuine was the laughter as the kids took a well-deserved break from firefighting to bounce around inside the giant inflatable of Sparky, the National Fire Protection Association’s official mascot, or climb into the fire truck cab to test out the horn. (Spoiler alert: it was working. The entire night.)
Meanwhile, the squad cars of the Janesville Police Department were also freely ransacked–er, explored–by potential cadets. Fortunately, not a single stray elbow managed to set off the sirens!
Finally, a bus from Palmer Bus Service was open for interior inspection, serving as a great reminder that protecting and serving the community doesn’t always mean fighting fires or catching bad guys. Sometimes, it’s about making sure kids get to school safely every single day. After all, most people can’t get around on horseback like the Waseca Sheriff’s Mounted Posse, who brought three of their four-legged partners to the park.
More substantial food options such as hot dogs with a side of chips were also available, distributed with tongs and smiles by City Council members–Ivan Maas and Andy Ahlman–who proved that they’re always ready to serve the community in any capacity necessary.
Other well-known Janesville benefactors made their own special appearances, including the Janesville Area Foundation and Janesville Matters. The former hosted a stand selling root beer floats, complete with a tablecloth proudly displaying the impressive $108,389 they’ve awarded back to the community while inviting donations to keep that number growing.
As for the latter, a pop of color with a creative beanbag toss made from pink buckets arranged like a flower was their station, rewarding sharp-shooters with free packets of flower seeds to take home and plant–perfectly mixing fun with environmentalism! Fittingly, many of the beanbag toss participants were sporting floral designs of their own, thanks to Janesville royalty MaKenzie Westphal and Abby Balzotti, who were seated nearby offering free face painting. Pair the opportunity to meet local royalty with the sensory-overloading Gidgets tent–squishy toys as far as the eye can see–the evening proved to be just as engaging for Janesville’s youth as it was for their elders.
The night was, without debate, an unforgettable success. Between the bustling farmers market, live music, and endless activities, hundreds of Janesvillians and local supporters walked away with full stomachs, big smiles, and a renewed appreciation for the hometown heroics that help make this small town alive and well.
