National Night Out 2026: Eta Nu Nu Style
Yesterday on August 4 for the third year in a row, the 1911 foundation and the men of the Eta Nu Nu chapter of the illustrious Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. held a National Night Out event at Oakland Park Alternative Elementary School located at 3392 Atwood Terrace, Columbus, Ohio, near the school’s playground. Located in Oakland Park, the North Linden neighborhood school serves students in pre-kindergarten through 5th grade and operates as a lottery-based public school under the auspices of the Columbus City Schools.
National Night Out is an annual activity designed to engage communities by building open dialogue between residents and local law enforcement. A bonus includes promoting transparency as well as strengthening healthy police-community relationships. Successful National Night Outs play an important role in crime awareness and reduction in the neighborhoods that host this event. One of the great things about National Night Out is it brings residents and local law enforcement together in an environment that is friendly, and fun. This kind of substantive interaction goes a long way in promoting a level of understanding that is invaluable to both the community and the men and women who are sworn to protect and serve those who live, attend school, work, fellowship and worship in the city’s most under resourced neighborhoods.
The effervescent DJ Reesee kept the mood light and festive with carefully selected numbers that were not only appropriate for the occasion but sure to keep the energy at a high level and the attendees engaged. People were jovial and upbeat. Old friends visited with one another and cooperation among Divine 9 organizations was evident as members of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. draped in their blue and white eye-catching aprons pitched in to make the event a resounding success.
As usual, the more than two dozen men of Eta Nu Nu were in attendance and easily recognizable. The purple tent with the words Eta Nu Nu emblazoned across the top is hard to miss. What’s more, each of them wore a t-shirt, baseball cap or some other piece of purple paraphernalia that clearly indicated their fraternal affiliation. The event attracted multiple tabling organizations, namely the League of Women Voters and Columbus Public Health. Valuable pieces of literature lay stretched out on tables for interested parties. When the men of Eta Nu Nu weren’t hunched over a grill flipping hamburgers and rotating hotdogs from 6:00 pm-8:00 pm they were interacting with the children and other adults some of whom were parents. Food and drink were in abundance.
As in previous years the weather was more than cooperative with clear skies and temperatures hovering around the mid-seventies at start time. Children took full advantage of those conditions hurling themselves into the bouncy house, jumping excitedly and participating in face painting, both of which are always big hits among the kids. There were also arts and craft opportunities for children to partake, and they did. The vibrant Christie Caffey of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. could be seen helping kids with their multicolored and creative inventions.
Without a doubt yesterday at Oakland Park Alternative Elementary was a day filled with fun, and fellowship and where important ties between residents and local law enforcement were strengthened. This highly anticipated event continues to be a big hit among the area’s residents and promises to be a staple in this community for years to come.
