Okaloosa County's 4-H program has received a $1,500 donation from Legacy Insurance and Tower Hill Insurance Companies to help start an archery club.   

The donation will help purchase equipment to start the club, along with T-shirts for youth members and volunteers, and a banner the club can use when traveling to 4-H state competitions.

The archery club will continue a 4-H tradition: focusing on developing youths as individuals and responsible, productive citizens.

The 4-H Shooting Sports Program stands out as an example. Youths learn marksmanship, safe use of firearms, the principles of hunting and archery.

The program's activities and adult leaders' support provide young people with opportunities to develop life skills, self-worth, and conservation ethics.

Local 4-H Shooting Sports clubs are open to all youths ages 8 to 18.

Shooting sports can be gratifying for youngsters, especially those who aren’t athletes. The program provides a supportive environment in which young people can experience hands-on, fun learning experiences.

4-H also offers youths opportunities to acquire knowledge, develop leadership skills, and form attitudes that will enable them to become self-directing, productive and contributing community members.

The programs are offered in volunteer-run project and community clubs. 

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer for 4-H, contact Misty Smith at mismith@ufl.edu.

If your children are interested in joining the 4-H Archery Club, contact club leaders George and Carrie Cook at cld020411@gmail.com.  

Misty Smith is 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: SMITH: Donation helps fund Okaloosa 4-H Archery Club

Cell phones and social media can be a blessing — keeping us connected with faraway loved ones, for instance — but they also can be massive problem makers.

Often, I see children trying to talk to parents in restaurants, at parks and other places, and they get ignored because someone is on the phone.

Our ability to personally interact with one another, and with God, has been seriously damaged when we allow these items to occupy our minds, eyes and hearts.

I mourn the demise of the ability to use the handwritten word. I still have letters from my great-grandmother, great-uncles, grandparents, and yes, small handwritten notes from my wife.

When I see the writing on them, based on their style alone, I can picture loved ones as though they are standing right there. 

Paul, in writing several of his letters, stated they were indeed written by his own hand. This would have given a sense of authority, intimacy, and emotion. In essence, he was stating that he cared enough about a situation to sit down and write a personal letter instead of dictating it to Luke or someone else.

We no longer have a commitment to sit down and write something. No more personal contact, no long lasting memories.

 I wonder sometimes if we have gotten too convenient for our own good.

Perhaps if we shut down these devices, spend some time with our children without the distraction, and learn to respond to one another, the world could be a better place.

Or would we rather tune out and ignore those around us, even our children, to their detriment?

Our first major piece of communication came in the form of letters, written by men as they were given inspiration and instruction.

God's written word is to us a letter of confirmation of his great intentions for us.

When he put flesh upon His Word, and that flesh became his son Jesus, he was not tuning out, but expressing with his own hand that his love is so great toward us.

Tune in to him today. Unplug, and live.

The Rev. Richard Helms serves at Miracle Acres Ministries, 3187 E. James Lee Blvd., in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HELMS: Mourning the handwritten word

Today, we celebrate Veterans Day and honor those who served in the United States Armed Forces.

As you meet veterans today, thank them for their service and let them know they are honored and appreciated.

Here is a timeline of the federal holiday's origin:

●On the 11th hour of the 11th day of November, 1918, World War I ended with armistice, or an agreement, between the Allies and Germany.

●On Nov. 11, 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed that date as Armistice Day.  

He said, "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory; both because of the thing from which it has freed us, and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.”

●On June 4, 1926, the United States Congress requested that President Calvin Coolidge issue a proclamation making Nov. 11 a legal holiday, and observing it with appropriate ceremonies. This was approved May 13, 1938.

●In 1947, World War II veteran Raymond Weeks presented the idea of making Armistice Day a day to celebrate all veterans, not just those who died in World War I. Weeks became known as the “Father of Veterans Day.”

●In 1954, Congress replaced “Armistice” with “Veterans,” and Nov. 11 has been known as Veterans Day since.

Jean Lewis is the Crestview Public Library's director.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LEWIS: Do you know the history of Veterans Day?

As trees turn various shades of red, thoughts turn to popcorn trees.

Their autumn coloration is one reason they were introduced to the Florida environment, but it took years for us to realize what a menace popcorn trees become.

The Chinese tallowtree or popcorn tree, was introduced to Charleston, S.C., in the late 1700s for oil production and candle making.

Since then, it has spread to every coastal state, from North Carolina to Texas, and inland to Arkansas. In Florida, it lives as far south as Tampa.

In the process, it displaces other native plant species in those habitats. Therefore, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Noxious Weed List named Chinese tallowtree a harmful weed in 1998. Possession with the intent to sell, transport or plant it is illegal here.

Although Florida is not known for the brilliant fall color of northern and western states, many trees provide North Florida landscapes similar color.

Red maple provides brilliant red, orange and sometimes yellow leaves; the native Florida maple displays a combination of bright yellow and orange color during fall; and many Trident and Japanese maples provide striking fall color.

Blackgum — another native tree, which slowly grows, sometimes, up to 75 feet in height — provides the earliest show of red to deep purple fall foliage. 

Others include persimmon, sumac and sweetgum.

In cultivated trees that pose no threat to native ecosystems, crape myrtle offers varying degrees of orange, red and yellow in its leaves before they fall.

There are many cultivars — some grow several feet; others reach nearly 30 feet in height. Chinese pistache can deliver a brilliant orange display.

Many oaks offer fall color, too. Shumardi, southern red and Turkey oaks have dark green, deeply lobed leaves during summer, turning vivid red to orange in fall.

Turkey oak holds onto its leaves all winter as they turn brown and are pushed off by new spring growth.

Our native yellow poplar and hickories provide bright yellow fall foliage. And it’s difficult to find a more crisp yellow than fall Ginkgo leaves. 

These trees represent just a few choices for fall color. Including one or several of these trees in your landscape, rather than allowing popcorn trees to grow, will enhance the season while protecting the ecosystem from invasive plant pests.

Sheila Dunning is a commercial horticulture 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: DUNNING: Get fall color without harming local habitat

What’s your most valuable asset? While you are still working, this asset may actually be your future income — so you need to protect it.

And you can do so by maintaining adequate life insurance, which can help provide your family the financial resources necessary to meet critical expenses — such as mortgage payments, college tuition, and so on — should you die prematurely.

But what type of insurance should you purchase?

There’s no one right answer for everyone, but by knowing some of the basics of different polices and how they relate to your specific needs, you can make an informed decision.

As its name suggests, term insurance is designed to last for a specific period, such as five, 10 or 20 years. You pay the premiums and you get a death benefit — that is, your policy's beneficiaries will collect the money when you die.

In general, term insurance may be appropriate for you if you only need coverage to protect a goal with an end date, such as paying off your mortgage or seeing your children through college. Term insurance may also be a reasonable choice if you need a lot of coverage but can’t afford permanent insurance.

Why is permanent insurance more costly than term?

Because, with permanent insurance, your premiums don’t just get you a death benefit — they also provide you the potential opportunity to build cash value.

Some types of permanent insurance may pay you a fixed rate of return, while other policies offer you the chance to put money into accounts similar to investments available through the financial markets.

These variable accounts will fluctuate in value more than a fixed-rate policy, so you will need to take your risk tolerance into account when choosing among the available permanent insurance choices.

Permanent insurance may be suitable if you want to ensure a guaranteed death benefit for life, rather than just for a certain period.

Permanent insurance may also be the right choice if you have a high net worth and seek tax-advantaged ways of transferring wealth.

Still, you may have heard that you might be better off by “buying term and investing the difference” — that is, pay the less costly premiums for term insurance and use the savings to invest in the financial markets.

However, this strategy assumes you will invest the savings rather than spend them, and it also assumes you will receive an investment return greater than the growth potential you receive from permanent insurance.

Both assumptions are just that: assumptions, not guarantees.

If you are considering the “buy term and invest the difference” route, you will need a consistent investment discipline and a willingness to take a greater risk with your money, in hopes of higher returns.

In any case, your financial professional can review your situation with you and help you determine whether term or permanent insurance is best suited for your needs.

But don’t delay. If you have even one other person depending on your income to maintain his or her lifestyle, you need to be covered — and once you are, you’ll consider those premium dollars to be well spent.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones financial adviser.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SHANKLIN: Term vs. permanent life insurance: which is right for you?