Edgewood Night Out kicks off another year of fun and fundraising

Edgewood Night Out

Benefits Edgewood Elementary 

Tuesday, Aug. 12

Edgewood Business District

With the beginning of the school year approaching, the Edgewood community tradition, Edgewood Night Out, is returning to the business district. 

Edgewood Night Out occurs on the second Tuesday of each month during the school year from 3 p.m. to the close of business. From August to May, businesses along the Edgewood Business District give 10 percent of their revenues from the evening to the Edgewood PTO. These financial gifts go to various needs of Edgewood Elementary School, including teacher grant requests for school supplies. 

Although the charitable spirit of Edgewood businesses has been a tradition for a number of years, in the past there were different philanthropic nights for the individual restaurants. More recently, the PTO adopted the name “Edgewood Night Out” and began promoting the monthly event on a common evening.

Edgewood Night Out participants include Saw’s BBQ, Edgewood Creamery, Sam’s, La Bamba and Escape Day Spa. The PTO also sells Edgewood gear such as Edgewood T-shirts and tumblers at the events.  

Last year’s PTO president, Catherine Owen, not only spent time organizing volunteer committees to put on their events and functions, but also kept the community aware about what was happening in the PTO. Owen did this with assistance from Amber Kelley, the social media chair for the PTO’s Facebook community connection page and Twitter account. 

Both Owen and Kelley credit the growth of Edgewood Night Out to the help and enthusiasm of La Bamba owners Misti Burnham and Peter Cooper. Burnham and her husband, Cooper, have taken on the roles of Edgewood Night Out “co-chairs,” Owen said. They are the ones who decorate and rally the community for the event. Burham said that La Bamba’s sales increase 50 percent on Edgewood Night Out dates.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Kelley said. “You meet so many people when you go out. The children love it, and it’s really a community-wide thing.”

The monthly events serve as a bonding agent within the community, Owen and Kelley said. The children see their classmates, and parents often meet each other for the first time or have the opportunity to reconnect. As everyone gets busy throughout the school year, it gives families and friends a chance to spend time together while supporting their school.

 “Every time you eat a meal with someone, you get to know them a little bit better,” Kelley said.

The first Edgewood Night Out of the school year will be Tuesday, Aug. 12.