Thursday, October 1, 2026
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Cherryville, NC (WNN) - Held on the first Tuesday in August, National Night Out fosters community connections, and that is exactly what happened on Tuesday, August 3, 2026. Cherryville hosted its third annual National Night Out inside the Community Building on 106 S Jacob Street, Cherryville, NC.
The event welcomed more local organizations than last year, thanks to organizer Tamara Harding, who has brought National Night Out to Cherryville for the past three years. The vendors included:
When speaking to Harding, she hopes the event can grow even larger and secure an outdoor event space for next year to accommodate its continued growth.
"Our community takes everybody. That means law enforcement. That means EMS. That means our firefighters, our city council, our community members. It means coming together for our community providers."
- Tamara Harding, event coordinator
In case you missed it, here are the other local organizations that shared information about services available throughout the community.
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Fruit of Life Ministries preparing to serve meals to the community | Third Annual National Night Out in Cherryville, NC | August 3, 2026
Third Annual National Night Out in Cherryville, NC | August 3, 2026
Food Lion hands out free goodie bags to community members | Third Annual National Night Out in Cherryville, NC | August 3, 2026
Third Annual National Night Out in Cherryville, NC | August 3, 2026
Traci Pollitt, Cherryville Library Branch Manager pictured talking to WNN's Ashley Reep about the services provided at the Cherryville Library | Third Annual National Night Out in Cherryville, NC | August 3, 2026
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Harding's nonprofit, Fruit of Life Ministries, provided the meal in partnership with Food Lion. The ministry's goal is to host community meals throughout the year and to help the homeless by distributing Blessing Bags to those in need. Food Lion provided hot dogs and hamburgers and made free goodie bags for attendees, especially for the children in attendance.
The Cherryville Branch Library joined National Night Out for the first time, with Traci Pollitt highlighting the importance of public library services and community programs
Julia Sewell, working with Solid Foundations Counseling, expressed the importance of outreach. Sewell said meeting families face-to-face helps connect individuals with counseling and therapy services that are available throughout the area.
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Third Annual National Night Out in Cherryville, NC | August 3, 2026
Solids Foundation Counseling Center chatting at their table | Third Annual National Night Out in Cherryville, NC | August 3, 2026
Stacie Graves pictured at her table talking to a community member about her organization | Third Annual National Night Out in Cherryville, NC | August 3, 2026
Gaston County Sheriff's Office | Third Annual National Night Out in Cherryville, NC | August 3, 2026
Cherryville Police Department and their drone | Third Annual National Night Out in Cherryville, NC | August 3, 2026
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Another organization in attendance was the Head Start Program. Spokesperson Quawona explained that their mission is to help families move from poverty to self-sufficiency, working with kids ages 3-5 in Gaston and Lincoln Counties. The program currently serves more than 400 students while offering volunteer opportunities for community members interested in supporting local families.
During the event, Stacie Graves presented the Edna May Best Graves Memorial Education Center's Mobile Classroom. A service that offers families the opportunity to explore educational materials and community resources. Graves said education plays a major role in building stronger communities.
"A lot of things that separate communities are the lack of knowledge because a lot of people are afraid of what they don't understand. It's about educating the community so that there is greater knowledge and understanding of one another. That is the definition of community."
- Stacie Graves
In closing, Brandon Hunsucker, Cherryville's Police Chief, said seeing the overwhelming support from residents and local organizations was encouraging and reflected the community's willingness to come together.
As National Night Out continues to grow, organizers hope the event remains more than just an evening of food and activities. Their goal is to create lasting relationships between residents and the organizations dedicated to serving Cherryville year-round.
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