By Christian Coffman

The Natchez Democrat

Vidalia — The Vidalia Police Department and Vidalia Neighborhood Watch program invite residents to an event they hope will be both informative and bring the community together.

The Vidalia Neighborhood Watch community event is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the old courthouse square in Vidalia.

Neighborhood Watch coordinator Georganna Berry said the free event will feature vendors, food and music.

“Vendors … will give out free information to the community, from insurance to housing,” Berry said. “We’ll be providing information to advance (people’s) lives and livelihoods.”

Games and door prizes will be available and Vidalia police officers will be in attendance to answer any resident’s questions.

Berry said neighborhood watch is about keeping the residents safe, involved and educated about what is happening within the community at large.

The event is open to everyone in Vidalia and surrounding areas.

“We just want to offer an extra service … usually we just have a meeting to listen to (residents’) problems,” Berry said. “This program is offering them extra help and some fun at the event for the neighborhood and the family.”

Berry said the chief goal of the event is to bring the community together along with the police to inform residents on what services are available that locals may be unaware exist.

“Some (services) may be local, some may not be, it just all depends on what they’re looking for,” Berry said. 

Berry said the neighborhood watch has been in effect for many years, and each year they schedule this annual community event.

“I’ve been working with the police department for three years and it’s been going on since I’ve started here,” Berry said.

For more information on the event, call 318-336-7100.