A Jim Thorpe community group fighting to combat area drug and alcohol use is hosting its third annual National Night Out from 6 to 10 p.m. on Tuesday in Memorial Park, 101 E. 10th St.

Communities around the nation, including Lehighton and Tamaqua, will be holding NNO events on the same night. The first NNO was in 1984, and the tradition reached Jim Thorpe in August 2012.The initial event drew around 1,000 attendees, a number that was doubled last year. Cindy Henning, Jim Thorpe NNO coordinator, hopes for an even larger turnout in 2014."I think we've been successful because we have a little bit of everything," Henning said. "Whether you are an addict, family member of an addict or a friend of an addict, there is some kind of educational information for everyone."Formed in October 2011, the Jim Thorpe NNO Group is a committee of concerned parents and residents.It partners with civic and church groups, emergency services and nonprofit organizations, businesses, local schools, and local, county and state governments."The initial intent of the group was to reduce drugs and crime that were moving into Jim Thorpe," Henning said. "Three years in, our focus is still the same, but we realize drugs and crime don't just go away. You need involvement from the entire town, county and state. The prescription drug and heroin epidemic is nationwide, it doesn't discriminate."The event is free, but attendees are encouraged to bring hygiene products, which will be donated to Family Promise of Carbon County and Peaceful Knights.Law enforcement agencies are just one of the groups scheduled to have a presence Tuesday."NNO brings the community together," said Jim Thorpe Police Chief Joe Schatz. "If someone doesn't want to go to the police station, they can come to our stand at the event and share a concern with one of the officers. Hopefully it makes residents aware that the police are there for them."Not every group will be handing out information. The Jim Thorpe Olympian cheerleaders, for example, will be volunteering an hour of their time in the craft area.The theme of Tuesday's event is education, but food, prizes and entertainment for all ages are also planned.According to statistics provided by Henning, more teens die from prescription drugs than heroin and cocaine combined. In 2013, more high school seniors regularly used marijuana than cigarettes. The United States represents 5 percent of the world's population and 75 percent of prescription drugs taken."These days it is hard to find a family that isn't affected by drug and alcohol abuse," Henning said. "Carbon County has a strong need for drug awareness. We hope people walk away from our event with a piece of information or contact that will make their life a bit easier and start them on the road to recovery."A rain date has been set for Aug. 6.