National Night out spreads hope

The annual gathering of Niagara Falls Block clubs, community organizations, and law enforcement agencies was a good time for all at Gill Creek Park's National Night Out.

I had a great chat with Army Staff Sgt. Javier Gonzales who was there recruiting, in uniform, proud to serve his country.

As we chatted, a young man who tried to enlist but wasn’t accepted because of health issue asked Gonzales to find him reconsideration. Another kid who seemed to be collecting freebies from every law enforcement booth pulled his sister back when she bumped past me.

“That man was in front of us,” he said.

He had to be about 9, his sister younger, his mission, swag collection. I assured him it was all good.

Even when a boy is being greedy he still had the sense to be polite. Today, and in a few years, Sgt. Gonzales represents a bright future. So does that young man.

There was a basket raffle and the usual politicians, including county legislator Chris Voccio who is not running for reelection and Jeffrey Elder, who is.

Mayor Bob Restaino showed up, as did council members Brian Archie and David Zajac and DPW Superintendent Kenny Tompkins as well as City Council Candidate Noah Munoz.

I watched Mark Laurrie being Mark Laurrie. The School Superintendent was approached by two random people, one looking for a job in the school near her house to add some retiremnt income, another advocating for a friend’s grievance. He made a note of the first woman’s name and knew what the second one was talking about, minutiae in a behemoth school district but monumental in someone’s life when they don’t feet they are getting a fair shake. He even had the aggrieved employees phone number committed to memory.

The folks from SNUG were there as well, Greg Palmer and Antoine White, always representing, making a difference.

I saw Rick Pfeiffer from the Gazette show up and sit up front where the politicians prattled on stage with no one paying attention. I don’t know what he will write today but I didn’t see him wander away from the politicians or pay attention to the real people even if he cozied up to law enforcement.