For the second straight year, the Ripon Consolidated Fire District took home the National Night Out watermelon-eating crown.

Ryan Mackey again led the way, chomping away at most of the red fruit to edge out Ripon Police Sgt. Stephen Meece of the Ripon Police Department.

“This is a fun competition (between the police and firefighters),” he said, holding up the perpetual trophy cup.

Meece claimed the trophy two years ago.

Mackey admitted that outside of National Night Out, he doesn’t really eat watermelon. The portions from Van Groningen & Sons were sliced up extra large as Mackey and Meece once again battled it out.

Eddie Brown for the firefighters and police officer Kenny Steele were first-time competitive watermelon-eating contestants.

National Night Out was held once again at the Community Center. It was deemed “a night of free fun for the whole family,” according to the banner.

The Ripon Ministerial Association – included are about half dozen churches in town – in cooperation with the Ripon Police Department made possible this event for the fourth straight year.

Donations from the community and area businesses were key components of National Night Out in Ripon, said Pastor Dave Schutt of Calvary Reformed Church.

The rest was a team effort.

Pastor Dave’s church, for example, donated 2,000 hotdogs and buns while the Immanuel Christian Reformed Church cooked up the free food.

Some of the other churches chipped in by providing free popcorn, cotton candy and snow cones.

Second Harvest Food Bank and Frito Lay of Modesto also contributed to the cause.

Missing this year from National Night Out was bingo. Changes to the gambling ordinances prohibited games from being played in the city-owned venues. Instead, the Ripon Senior Center thanks to an agreement with Friends of the Senior Center will have the honors of conducting the local bingo games.

It was too early to get a count on the estimated attendance.

The conditions were unseasonably cool for this time of year.

“We had great weather today,” said Pastor Dave. “A week ago it was hot.”



To contact reporter Vince Rembulat, email vrembulat@mantecabulletin.com.