Gaston Rural Fire District

Smiling children and their parents filled First Street on a hot August night for free hotdogs, fire truck rides and visits with a very friendly police dog.

That can mean only one thing: National Night Out was back with Gaston's biggest block party of the summer.

Gaston Fire, the Knights of Pythias and the Washington County Sheriff's Office joined to host National Night Out on August 4.

The smell of hotdogs roasting made the Pythians' barbecue the first stop of the evening for most people. Some classic cars were there to remind everyone of the next big events of the year, the Good Ol' Days Parade and Wapato Showdown car show the weekend of Aug. 21 and 22.

But while the parents wanted to relax under the Pythians' canopies, their children had other ideas.

Those two big, shiny Gaston Fire pumpers at the end of the block glowed like beacons for the youngsters. The line for rides formed early in the evening.

Then there were the flashing lights of the police car. Eager noses pressed up against the car windows as resident Gaston Sheriff's Deputy Kelley McLeod talked about her job.

But the fun just kept coming. First the sheriff's boat arrived, sending kids running to the other end of the block. Then a motorcycle deputy showed up back at the Main Street end of the block. Once he turned on his flashing lights, the sea of children rolled his way.

Then a K9 unit rolled in. No one could resist the lure of the happy, friendly dog, who worked the crowd and soon became the hit of the party.

Through it all, the father-son firefighting duo of Jerry and Randy Hoodenpyl kept shuttling excited kids (and some excited parents) for rides on Engines 1171 and 1172. For many it was the first chance to see 1171, our first new pumper in decades, made possible by our voters' amazing support.

The Pythians kept pumping out the hotdogs and the kids kept exploring Rescue 11, and just when it seemed the party was winding down a new surprise rolled into town: McGruff the Crime Dog.

Out of nowhere, the children found a new burst of energy and swarmed another kind of police dog. Rumor had it that this one might actually have been a Sheriff's Explorer Scout, but don't tell the kids.

Unfortunately the firefighters, Pythians, deputies and parents don't have as much energy as the children of Gaston, so it finally came time to pack up the grills and tents and call it an evening.

Until next National Night Out, when we'll do it all again ...