Quakes players Orlando Ramirez and Robby Fulton, as well as mascot "Q," had a busy night on Aug. 2 as they represented the San Jose Earthquakes organization at four different locations participating in the 22nd Annual National Night Out.
National Night Out, a crime prevention event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch, is an occasion for communities to come together once a year to raise awareness about local crime and emergency preparedness. It also hopes to strengthen neighborhood spirit and local community-police partnerships.
Rookie forward Ramirez and "Q" started off the National Night Out party with a stop at Washington Elementary School in San Jose. Ramirez visited with fans, signed autographs and handed out Quakes items from a booth at the event while a band played in the background.
The Quakes duo then moved along to Spartan Keyes 1st Annual National Night Out for a half-hour appearance. San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales and the San Jose Fire Department were also present at the neighborhood party.
Next, the Earthquakes caravan visited the celebration at Great Oaks Park in District 2. Ramirez and "Q" joined San Jose City Council Member Forrest Williams and a band called "A Story Untold" at this location to meet and greet with more enthusiastic Quakes fans.
Earthquakes rookie goalkeeper Robby Fulton jumped on the caravan for the final stop of the National Night Out tour for a backyard party that Santa Clara Mayor Patricia Mahan visited. The two players chatted with more fans and handed out costume leis to promote the Earthquakes Second Annual Hawaiian Night on Aug. 6. Fulton and Ramirez even started up a soccer game with the kids in the backyard.
All in all, the Earthquakes National Night Out caravan was a great success as the Quakes helped raise awareness about crime and emergency preparedness in the local San Jose community.
