Tuesday, National Night Out, a nationwide crime awareness program, brought hundreds of people to Dr. William Henry Park to mingle with local police in a positive atmosphere. 

While the objective of the event is to advocate crime awareness and prevention, another big statement was made in that the community gathered in an outdoor setting promoting physical activity. And if the basketball courts had anything to say about it, there was much physical activity to be had.

As technology advances, so the amount of time spent outdoors diminishes. Television has kept us glued to the couch for years, and while not all programming is bad, some of today’s most popular shows do little to promote physical activity.

Video games are now in the mainstream, and even devices such as the PlayStation Move, Xbox Kinect and the Nintendo Wii console allow gamers to exercise without leaving the bedroom. While that is a step up from a couch potato, the exercise games do not offer the results a real gym can provide and a little sunlight is good every once in a while.

Smart phones can alienate people even further by sucking them in so much that they sometimes aren’t even aware of the people and activities going on around them.

Obviously, there are positives to all technologies, but the point is it appears we are headed toward a path of seclusion as our lives become more caught up in the digital age.

It is paramount to keep an eye out on events such as National Night Out that bring individuals out to enjoy some fresh air and spend time with their neighbors. 

Not only is it healthy for the body by simply being outdoors, but also to have a fun, family-oriented event that lets people take their mind off things and let loose.