Event works to protect neighborhoods File photo MAKING A DIFFERENCE-John DiGuiseppe is working to renew Neighborhood Watch programs and is inviting all residents to participate in the upcoming National Night Out program designed to make neighborhoods safer. Photo courtesy of Lisa Adams. By Lori Porter Acorn Staff Writer July 24, 2003

When John DiGuiseppe learned about a home invasion robbery that took place in the Three Springs neighborhood last December, he decided it was time to revive the Neighborhood Watch program in his neighborhood. DiGuiseppe approached the board of the South Shore Hills Home Owners Association, in which he is a resident, requesting that funds be spent on reinstating NWP and replacing old beige rusted signs with new brighter, blue and white ones in the neighborhood. The HOA paid for the new signs and the city installed them. In addition, DiGuiseppe registered the city of Thousand Oaks with the National Neighborhood Watch program. Because making his community a place of safe refuge for its residents is of vital importance to him, DiGuiseppe also established a security committee within the HOA. Since December, DiGuiseppe, who has a bachelors in criminology has been invited to speak at various HOA meetings encouraging and educating residents on the importance of NWP. To date, DiGuiseppe has started six NWPs in communities within Thousand Oaks and the Ventura county side of Westlake Village. In an effort to send a loud and clear message to criminals that the residents of Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village will not tolerate crime, DiGuiseppe plans to keep the momentum going by asking residents to participate in a ‘National Night Out’ from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 5. On National Night Out, participating residents turn out their lights, lock their doors and hang out on their streets with neighbors. They carry flashlights out into the streets during this event that seeks to bond community members with each other and with their local police. The neighborhood is visited by the local police while residents are gathered outside enjoying a sort of block party. This gives residents an opportunity to become acquainted with each other and find out bits of important information that will assist them while looking out for each other. "If you don’t know your neighbor, you don’t know if that strange car in their driveway while they are on vacation belongs there." Di Guiseppe said. National Night Out is celebrating their 20th anniversary with 32 million communities participating around the United States. All communities, whether they have a NWP established or not, may participate in National Night Out. For information on how your community can participate in National Night Out or establish a NWP, contact DiGuiseppe at P.O. Box 1773, Agoura Hills, Ca 91376, or e-mail: Johnonwatch@aol.com. [Note:  John DiGuiseppe's mailing address is 2899 Agoura Road, Suite 552, Westlake Village, California 91361 and his new e-mail address is toaksonwatch@aol.com ]