National Night Out, celebrated nationally on the first Tuesday in August, is an opportunity for the community to get everyone together with first responders in a positive setting. Instead of a motor vehicle accident or a traffic stop, it’s hot dogs and pizza. Freemansburg, one of the Lehigh Valley’s smallest communities, has been hosting this event for the past five years. Where else can you tell a borough council member or the mayor that you want your hot dog well done?

This year’s festivities were dampened, quite literally, when the skies opened up and it began to pour. There was no need for a water slide as Mother Nature managed to get one and all wet. Brave souls waited inside a pavilion for the storm clouds to subside.

Police officers were kept busy preparing ID cards for kids that include a photo and some vital measurements.

But the big star was Elvis. Not that Elvis, but a 4 year-old Shiloh Shepherd. These dogs are larger than most German shepherds. They are bred for intelligence, size, and stable temperaments. They are used as therapy and search and rescue dogs. K9 Officer Susan Narkin from Wolfpack Search and Recovery demonstrated how Elvis could find someone based solely on human scent.