BINGHAMTON - Mayor Matt Ryan joined community partners to announce details of the 2010 National Night Out celebration, which will take place next Tuesday, August 3rd, at seven sites throughout the City.

“National Night Out is a time for us to celebrate our community, forge closer partnerships and rededicate ourselves to making Binghamton safe and healthy for everyone,” said Mayor Ryan. “Residents will have an opportunity to gather with public safety officials, learn about local safety resources and participate in a variety of free, family-fun activities. I invite everyone to join us for this year’s National Night Out.”

Mayor Ryan and Police Chief Joe Zikuski will visit each of the sites, as will other members of the Binghamton Police Department and Binghamton Fire Department. The sites will feature safety demonstrations by the departments, along with free food, games, door prizes and other activities.

The theme of this year’s National Night Out is “Random Acts of Kindness.”

“We chose this theme because we believe that accelerating positive change requires that we change our mindset,” said Rev. Henry Ausby, who has coordinated Binghamton’s National Night Out since it began in 1996. “The expectation of seeing random acts of violence, which have too often captured the headlines, needs to be replaced by an expectation of random acts of kindness. Instead of tearing each other down, we must build each other up. Instead of hurting, we must help. The community won’t change until everyone does, and so we must commit ourselves to taking this vital step together.”

This year’s National Night Out sites are as follows:

• Saratoga Apartments: 3:00—6:00pm
• Carlisle Apartments: 4:00—7:00pm    
• Columbus Park: 5:00—8:00pm    
• Cheri Lindsey Park: 5:00—8:00pm    
• Fairview Park: 5:00—8:00pm    
• Broome County Library: 6:00—8:00pm  
• Murray Street Park: 5:00—8:00pm