Night to Unite: Neighbors Joining Together

Each year, on the first Tuesday in August, neighborhoods throughout Mankato are invited to join forces with thousands of communities nationwide and throughout the State of Minnesota for the annual Night to Unite crime and drug prevention event. Mankato residents are asked to lock their doors, turn on their outside lights and spend the evening outside with neighbors and police. Many neighborhoods throughout Mankato will host a variety of special events such as block parties, cookouts, parades, police visits, flashlight walks, contests, youth activities and anti-crime rallies.

Join neighbors across Mankato on Tuesday, August 4, 2009 for the 1st Annual Night to Unite in Minnesota. Sponsored by the Minnesota Crime Prevention Association, AAA of Minnesota/Iowa, and local law enforcement agencies, Night to Unite will celebrate and strengthen neighborhood and community partnerships.

1. Get to know one another in your neighborhood;
2. Build neighborhood involvement by bringing police and communities together; and
3. Bring awareness to crime prevention and local law enforcement efforts!

Night to Unite is sponsored by the Minnesota Crime Prevention Association, AAA of Minnesota/Iowa, and the Mankato Department of Public Safety.

Registration Form
Planning Chart
Activity Ideas
Block Party Planning Tips

1. Get Help

   The sooner you start planning, the better. You also stand a better chance of getting help. Consider inviting a few neighbors to your home to discuss planning the party. Not only will you find helpers, you will also find out how many people are interested in attending.

2. Get Organized- Save time and last-minute headaches by putting others in charge of the following:
   • Activities (be sure activities will include everyone and will promote conversation)
   • Kids’ entertainment (assign the older children to plan children’s games and activities)
   • Logistics (e.g., tables, chairs, bug repellent, grills, coolers, utensils, ice, etc)
   • Food
   • Invitations/Flyers
   • Clean-up
   The best advice is to keep it simple. This event is supposed to be fun! Enjoy the evening with your neighbors.
3. Get the word out! Invite your neighbors personally, then, ask them to invite their neighbors and so on. Download event flyers at the City of Mankato Web site, www.ci.mankato.mn.us. Include information specific to your event on the flyer, then distribute to neighbors.

The following regulations must be strictly adhered to when approval is granted for closing a Mankato street for a special event.

• Supply, setup, and remove barricades. Barricades are available through local rental companies.
• Local residential street: Provide one type II ROAD CLOSED barricade on each end of street.
• Major streets: Provide one type III on each end of street.

Hours: Streets are not to be closed past sunset.

Fire Lane: Maintain a 20-foot fire lane at all times. At no time is the street to be blocked with vehicles inside the closed area.

Complaints: Complaints received by the Department of Public Safety will cause the approval to be rescinded, the special event cancelled, and the street to be reopened to traffic.

Cleanup: Street, boulevard, and adjacent property must be cleaned. Properly dispose of debris from special event. Fines may be imposed if the streets department determines cleanup is inadequate.

Special Requirements: (To be determined for specific event and shown with approval letter)

For more information on closing your street for Night to Unite contact Landon Bode at 507-387-8637 or lbode@city.mankato.mn.us.

For more information pertaining to Night to Unite or how to get involved, contact Sandi Schnorenberg, Night to Unite coordinator at (507) 387-8795