Suffolk’s National Night Out community awards ceremony was held Aug. 25. More than 60 communities and businesses that participated in the Aug. 4 event were recognized, and the “best of the best” were given awards.

The first-place Best Combined Community Award went to the Sentara Obici Hospital Combined Community Event. It included the communities of Applewood Farms Homeowners’ Association, Berkshire Meadows, Burnett’s Mill, Hillpoint Farms Homeowners’ Association, Hillpoint Woods, The Vistas, Lakes Edge, Hillpoint Estates, Fairways Crossing, Kensington Park, Kings Landing Apartments, Nansemond Gardens, River Bluff, Riverwood, Wexford Downs, Willowbrook and their numerous sponsoring businesses and other volunteers.

In second place for Best Combined Community was the Greater Oakland and Chuckatuck Civic League, with numerous sponsoring businesses and volunteers and the Chuckatuck Volunteer Fire Department.

For Best Community, the West End Civic League won first place and the Burbage Grant Neighborhood Watch won second place.

Honorable Mention went to the Huntersville community.

The Top Business went to the U.S. Army Recruiting Office.

Suffolk Church of God won Rookie of the Year.

Cusi Hamlin, a community coordinator volunteer for the Sentara Obici Hospital Combined Community Event, won the first-ever “Spirit Award.”

Suffolk’s theme for 2015 was “Working Together to Take A Bite Out of Crime.” Special initiatives this year included the debut of the Suffolk Police Department’s Dog Walker Watch Program and associated community training events, Adopt-A-Thons with pets from Suffolk Animal Care, and numerous appearances by McGruff the Crime Dog and his buddies “Nat” Knight, the National Night Out mascot, and Sparky, Suffolk Fire & Rescue’s mascot.