You probably won't see it on your calendar, but May 29 is 529 College Savings Day, or 529 Day for short. This day, named after the 529 plan, a popular college-savings vehicle, is designed to promote people's awareness of the need to save and invest for the high costs of higher education. And that need has never been greater.

Consider the following:

•College prices keep going up. College costs just keep rising. For the 2016–2017 school year, the average cost (tuition, fees, room and board) was about $20,000 for in-state students at public universities and more than $45,000 for private schools, according to the College Board. These costs are likely to continue climbing.

•Student debt is at record levels. Of the Class of 2016 graduates who received loans – about 70 percent of the total student population – the average individual debt was $37,172, a record high, according to a study cited by CBS News.

What can you do to help your children graduate from college without having to provide a big "IOU" in exchange for a diploma? In the spirit of 529 Day, you might want to consider investing in a 529 plan. It's certainly not the only means of saving for college, but it does offer some attractive benefits.

For starters, contribution limits are quite high – you can accumulate more than $200,000 per beneficiary in many state plans. And you can typically invest in the 529 plan offered by any state, even if you don't reside there. If you do invest in your own state's plan, you may be eligible for state income tax incentives.

Also, all withdrawals from 529 plans will be free from federal income taxes, as long as the money is used for a qualified college or graduate school expense of the beneficiary you've named — typically, your child or grandchild. (Withdrawals for expenses other than qualified education expenditures may be subject to federal and state taxes and a 10 percent penalty on the earnings portion of the distribution.)

Furthermore, you have complete control of your 529 plan assets. You decide who will get the money and when he or she will get it. You can even change the beneficiary to another family member.

Keep in mind, though, that your 529 plan will be counted on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, although schools typically only consider up to 5.6 percent of parental assets when calculating financial aid. And distributions from a parent-owned 529 account used for one year's college expenses will not usually reduce next year's financial aid eligibility. (For more information on how a 529 plan might affect your child's financial assistance, you may want to consult with a college's financial aid office.)

If you can find a 529 Day event in your area, you may want to attend so that you can learn more about the many aspects of saving for college. But even if you can't personally take part in 529 Day, give some thought to a 529 plan. It might be part of the solution for helping your children earn a relatively debt-free degree.

This article was written by Edward Jones on behalf of your Edward Jones financial adviser.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: On 529 Day, think about college savings plans

The ladies at First United Methodist Church of Crestview held their annual Mother's Day tea on Saturday, May 6, in the Crossroads Center. There was lots of laughter and fun at this event and a great time was had by all.

This year's Mother's Day Tea was coordinated by Marian McBryde, Anne Campbell and Pam Callahan, who did a fantastic job. There were 14 tables of eight ladies and a table for 10 little girls.

The monies raised from this event and the silent auction will be sent to Pastor Krzysztof Kopacz in Ilawa, Poland. Pastor Kris, as he is known, is the pastor of Crestview's sister church in Poland.

I wasn't aware that Poland was such a poor country and his salary is limited. As well as his local congregation in Ilawa, Pastor Kris travels to three other villages and ministers to the residents, he teaches the children about Jesus, sings songs and plays games with them.

About 10 years ago, Pastor Kris visited Crestview and FUMC; shortly after his return, he broke his knee and lower leg. He has to travel to Warsaw for medical care, which is four hours away. He has had five surgeries and another one is planned, but he is quite limited as to what he can do physically. Due to his physical limitations, he can't travel to the United States for medical treatment.

Because of Pastor Kris' physical limitations, the Crestview congregation recently raised money to purchase a used car for his use. This campaign was started earlier in the year and the car has been picked out and the money from the tea will complete the cost of the car. Pastor Kris has no car at this time and has to depend upon others for transportation.

(In other highlights from the tea), Jennifer Precht, the FUMC pastor's wife, gave a meaningful devotional and sang a gorgeous rendition of "How Great Thou Art."  

Miley Milani, aged 7, played "Jesus Loves Me" on her violin and a trio consisting of Miley Milani, Elsa Precht, 8, and Kimmie Raiche, 8, sang a sweet Mother's Day song, titled "My Mom," for the ladies.

This was a lovely tea and an enjoyable day of fellowship.

Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Reflecting on a Mother's Day tea

Have you ever felt betrayed by a family member, a friend, a co-worker?

You have a great relationship going, then one day something is said or done that shatters the relationship. 

Unfortunately, it happens to most people more than once in a lifetime.

When loyalty or friendship is betrayed, what are some typical reactions felt by the “victim”?

Make the other person hurt as much as you’ve been made to hurt.

Get your friends to hate the other’s friends.

Malign the other person’s name around town.

Get even — or in some cases, more than even.

Those are some natural reactions. And if they are followed and acted upon, what good do they do?

In the short run, it might feel good. Retribution has been made. Now the other is just as miserable. “Hah! Take that! How do you like it?”

But is anything resolved by seeking revenge? No. The feelings of hurt, anger and/or betrayal will still be alive and strong. Nothing will have been settled.

The Bible tells us that revenge belongs to God. He will repay in his own time and way. The scriptures tell us that we should seek reconciliation. This would mean coming together face to face, talking about the incident, and especially the feelings that were stirred up. If the attempt at reconciliation is successful, the relationship can begin to heal — although it will be different than it was in the past.

I once heard an old saying, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” Yes, if we don’t learn something from the event and the ultimate reconciliation, we may be duped once again. But with eyes and ears wide open, that is less likely to happen.

If reconciliation isn’t possible, the Bible says we are to at least forgive the one who hurt us. Remember, this does not mean you condone what the other did. It does not mean you pretend it never happened. It does not mean you have to enter back into a relationship with them.

It does mean, however, that you are willing and able to let go of the hurt, anger and pain that stirred up because of the incident.

It means you will not allow your life to be dragged into dark depths by harboring ill will toward the other.

Cutting ties may certainly be necessary for health and survival, and that’s okay because even Jesus said to knock the dust from your feet and move on.

Betrayal is devastating on so many levels. When it happens, allow yourself to process the incident and your feelings appropriately. Surround yourself in prayer, seeking God’s guidance. Remember that both reconciliation and forgiveness bring freedom to your heart. The weight you carry will get lifted. You will become wiser and stronger.

Give God glory by doing as his word directs, and you will have life.

The Rev. Mark Broadhead is pastor at Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Betrayal devastates; reconciliation frees us

The choirs of Crestview High School, under the direction of Mr. Kevin Lusk, performed the 2017 Spring Choral Concert. This concert was a musical delight and treat for the senses. The concert was well attended and it was nice to see many familiar and friendly faces.

The program featured a wide variety of musical selections, from sacred to popular musical pieces. The students and all of the soloists were well-rehearsed and their performance was outstanding. One could tell that the students had worked very hard to learn their music. Several of the pieces had lovely harmonies. Along with the beautiful blending of student voices, this made for a musical feast.

The entire concert was a showcase of delightful harmonies and beautiful melodies. The men's choir sang a gorgeous rendition of "Rise Up, O Men of God," and the women's choir sang a beautiful rendition of "My True Love Has My Heart," which is a favorite. As expected, Destiny and Chanticleer sounded terrific and gave an excellent performance. Their costumes and choreography worked well with the pieces they performed and were quite entertaining.

The Chorale did a spectacular job with all of their musical numbers. I enjoyed "When the Trumpet Sounds" and the audience loved the "A Tribute to Queen." These students are truly talented musicians. During the Chorale numbers, the choir members were mixed together — soprano, alto, tenor and bass. I thoroughly enjoyed the integration of the different voices. This integration of parts worked very well for the musical selections that were performed.

Michael Brooks, the 2016 Senior Choral Award recipient, sang the musical number, "I'm Still Standing," and treated us to an energetic, lively and pleasing performance. He then passed the torch to Ethan Mitchell, the 2017 Senior Choral Award recipient. Congratulations, Ethan!

The concert also featured the baccalaureate number the seniors will be performing, "Leave No Song Unsung," which has such appropriate words for those who are graduating and going on in their lives, whether it is college, work, military or trade school.

This was a marvelous event and the students gave an exceptional performance. Thanks also belong to the accompanists, Leon Curenton and Ryan Mabry. What an enjoyable evening of music. Thank you, Mr. Lusk and CHS choral members.

Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview High choral concert 'an exceptional performance'

If you have a medical appointment this week, you might want to wish your nurse a happy National Nurses Week. This annual event is designed to celebrate the important role nurses play in health care.

Of course, while nurses and doctors can help you in many ways, you can do a lot of good for yourself by adopting healthy living habits, such as eating right, exercising frequently, and so on. But you can also do much to help your financial health.

Here are a few suggestions:

•Stay invested. During times of market volatility, it can be tempting to head to the investment sidelines until things cool off. Going to the sidelines can mean a few different things – you could simply not invest anything for a while, or you could move a substantial portion of your portfolio to cash instruments, which are safe in the sense of preserving your principal but offer almost nothing in the way of return or protecting against inflation. If you're not investing during a market downturn, or if you've moved heavily into cash, you might well miss out on the beginning of the next market rally.

•Rebalance your portfolio. It's a good idea to periodically rebalance your portfolio to make sure it still reflects your goals and your comfort level with risk. Over time, and without any effort on your part, your portfolio can become unbalanced. For example, following a long "bull" market, the value of your stocks could have risen to the point where they make up a greater percentage of your portfolio than you had intended. When that happens, you may need to rebalance by adding bonds and other fixed-income vehicles.

•Diversify. Rebalancing is important. But a balanced portfolio should also be a diversified portfolio. If you only owned one type of financial asset, such as U.S. growth stocks, you could take a big hit during a market downturn. But different types of financial assets don't always move in the same direction at the same time, so by owning a wide variety of investments – U.S. stocks, international stocks, government securities, corporate bonds, real estate, certificates of deposit (CDs) and so on – you may help reduce the effects of market volatility on your portfolio. Keep in mind, though, that diversification by itself can't guarantee profits or protect against loss.

•Maintain realistic expectations. If you expect the financial markets to always move upward, you will be disappointed many times. Market downturns are a normal part of the investment process, and they will always be with us. Once you accept this reality, you will be less likely to make questionable decisions, such as abandoning a long-term strategy. If you've designed an appropriate strategy, possibly with the help of a financial professional, you can stick with it through all market environments.

By following the suggestions mentioned above – staying invested, rebalancing your portfolio as needed, diversifying your holdings and maintaining realistic expectations, you can go a long way toward maintaining the fitness of your financial situation.

Edward Jones wrote this article for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Here's how to keep your portfolio healthy

4-H is the nation’s largest youth development organization, with over 230,000 members in the state of Florida. A non-formal, practical educational program for youths, Florida 4-H is the youth development program of Florida Cooperative Extension, a part of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

Summer activities include residential camp opportunities and day camps that showcase experiential learning. Okaloosa County 4-H is currently preparing for a fun week of Residential Camp the week of June 5–9.

I have fond memories of residential summer camp as a child. What I liked most was making new friends, learning new skills like archery, swimming, crafts and outdoor cooking. I can still make campfire stew and some of the best s’mores around.

Residential camping is one of the most significant modes of delivery in the Florida 4-H Youth Development Program, with nearly 4,000 people attending four locations throughout the state of Florida.

We are very fortunate to have the UF/IFAS 4-H Camp Timpoochee facilities here in Okaloosa County. Located along the Choctawhatchee Bay, it has all the elements of an experiential outdoor learning facility just waiting for the next group of youths to explore.

Camp Timpoochee is a picturesque camping complex nestled on the shore of the Choctawhatchee Bay. There is a marine science lab, cabins, archery range, recreation area, campfire site and dining facilities that provide the background for positive youth development.

Some of the activities this summer include sport fishing, mad scientist, kayaking, snorkeling, archery, air rifle, crafts and team-building activities. 

Pamela H. Allen is the interim county director and an agent at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Youths learn valuable skills at 4-H Camp Timpoochee