CRESTVIEW — Sharon Garcia, a 11th grader at Crestview High School of Crestview was a delegate to the recent Congress of Future Medical Leaders in Lowell, Massachusetts.

The congress is an honors-only program in Lowell, Massachusetts for high school students who want to become physicians or go into medical research fields. The National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists created the program to help students stay true to their dream and provide a path, plan and resources to help them reach their goal.

Dr. Mario Capecchi, winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine and NAFPMS science director, nominated Garcia to represent Florida based on her academic achievement, leadership potential and determination to serve humanity in the field of medicine.

Garcia and fellow attendees heard Nobel Laureates and National Medal of Science winners talk about leading medical research; got advice from Ivy League and top medical school deans on what to expect in medical school; heard stories directly from patients who are living medical miracles; and heard from their fellow teen medical science prodigies. They also learned about cutting-edge advances and the future in medicine and medical technology.

"This is a crucial time in America when we need more doctors and medical scientists who are even better prepared for a future that is changing exponentially," said Richard Rossi, executive director, National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists.

The academy offers free services and programs to students who want to be physicians or go into medical science. Some of the services and programs the academy offers are online social networks through which future doctors and medical scientists can communicate; opportunities for physicians and medical students to guide and mentor other students, and communications for parents and students on college acceptance and finances, skills acquisition, internships, career guidance and more.

Visit www.FutureDocs.com or call 617-307-7425 for more information on NAFPMS and its programs.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Garcia attends Congress of Future Medical Leaders

BAKER —  A Ropin' the Truth Ministries fundraiser will benefit a Crestview girl recently diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor.

The community event will feature food concessions, a kiddie corral, auctions, four-division barrel horse racing and other activities for attendees.

It begins with an exhibition at 5:30 p.m. at the Baker Area Recreation Center, 5503 U.S. Highway 4, Baker. Competition starts at 7:30 p.m.

Attendance is free to spectators, but cost to race participants is $25 for youths age 18 an younger, and $35 for people age 19 and up.

"All the proceeds from the concession stand, auction items, baked goods, and barrel race will go to the family. Every single penny raised will go to the family," Brandon Stidham of Cross Creek Country Fellowship church said.

"We are hoping to have over 100 barrel racers that night and some youth riders all competing for a cash prize and awards. We are still accepting items for the silent auction and monetary donations also."

Stidham said the event was originally going to be held at the church's Ropin' the Truth Ministry arena, but had to move the event due to the generous response they received from the community.

"After generous donations for the barrel race itself we realized we could not hold all the trucks and trailers that this event would be bring in, so we had to move the event to the Baker Arena," Stidham said.

The event will feature plenty of non-horse-related activity as well.

"Come hungry, because the concessions will be great, along with the desserts from the baked goods auction that will be held," he said.

Contact Brandon Stidham at 490-7013 or Kelley Stidham at 418-4429 for more information about the barrel race.

Maleia, daughter of Malcolm and Kristy Spears, has had two surgeries to remove as much of the tumor as possible. She is now in the middle of radiation treatments that will continue through mid-July and hopefully eradicate the remaining tumor.

Monetary contributions may also be  made to Maleia L. Spears Supplemental Needs Trust, c/o Kristen Ellis, Welton Law Firm, 1020 S. Ferdon Blvd, Crestview, FL 32536.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Riding for Maleia

CRESTVIEW — Kadance Fredericksen, 11, continued her support of the Ronald McDonald Houses with her third annual lemonade stand fundraiser. The houses function as homes for families where children are undergoing a medical crisis.

The Crestview youth, named Jr. Miss Sugar Sands of Northwest Florida in March, has set a goal this year of $7,000. She presented Ronald McDonald House donations totaling $5,146 so far, and has approximately $1,804 left toward her goal. (Last year's donations totaled  $5,099.56.)

Kadance addressed Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce breakfast attendees about the fundraiser on June 7.

"She spoke about giving back to the community through serving, and the starting of Kadance's Lemonade Stand, which benefits the Ronald McDonald House and the families they serve. Special thank you to the Costa Family for their support, not only for Kadance, but for sponsoring the breakfast this morning and their continued support of the Ronald McDonald House," her mother, Lisa Fredericksen, stated.

The Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce and organizers of the 11th annual community health fair also invited her to set up her lemonade stand at two more events scheduled later this year.

WANT TO HELP?

Information on the upcoming lemonade stands will be available at a later date. People may also contribute online at https://www.paypal.me/LFredericksen482.

Kadance's parents are Lisa and Matthew Fredericksen of Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 11-year-old raises over $5K of $7K goal for Ronald McDonald House

CRESTVIEW — The Winkler's Wish Foundation is having a Facebook fundraiser to increase efforts to help military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.

The money will fund the monthly peer group meetings and dinners the nonprofit organization hosts for area veterans. It will also be used for foundation literature and outreach items.

The group has raised $700 of its $2,000 goal at https://bit.ly/2HufK82.

Rebecca Winkler said, "We chose to do a social media Facebook fundraiser to reach the many people who had heard our story about losing our veteran son to suicide from PTSD but are not in our local area. It also allows for raising funds without having a physical fundraiser."

The meetings are 6-8 p.m. the fourth Monday of each month at Crosspoint Church, 2250 P J Adams Parkway, Crestview. There are sometimes guest speakers who present useful information or provide veterans services.

Foundation meetings started with three to five veterans in 2017. They have grown to 10 to 15 veterans and their families.

Winkler said she and her husband, Richard, began the meetings after their son, Drew, died May 30, 2016 by PTSD-related suicide. His last message, posted via Facebook, referenced himself as one of the 22 veterans a day lost to suicide.

"We quickly realized there were no peer group meeting opportunities in Crestview, Fla. for veterans. We started the meetings with nothing but faith and less than $500 in the bank … We have heard over and over from veterans that when they left the military they felt completely alone with no support system. We provide veterans the opportunity to help themselves by connecting with and helping other veterans. We also, by allowing the veterans to bring family members if they choose, are able to provide support to the family members of veterans," Rebecca Winkler said.

Veterans and their family members may contact the foundation via Facebook message for assistance or support until the organization's website is complete. The mailing address is Winkler's Wish Foundation, 2260 South Ferdon Blvd., Box 263, Crestview, FL 32536. The phone number is 305-7761.

Here are some additional resources the Winklers have compiled.

Started by veterans' families

•Winkler’s Wish Foundation, https://www.facebook.com/winklerswish

•LCpl Janos V Lutz Live to Tell Foundation, https://www.facebook.com/LutzLiveToTell

•Project Miller 22 Plus 1, https://www.facebook.com/22plus1/

•22 Too Many, https://www.facebook.com/22TooMany/

•Life for 22, https://www.facebook.com/LifeFor22. It posts a significant amount of really good links and articles, with an emphasis on veteran PTSD, Winkler said.

Additional Florida groups

•Team Red White and Blue, Fort Walton Beach, https://www.facebook.com/groups/TeamRWBFtWalton

•Healing Paws for Warriors, Fort Walton Beach, https://www.facebook.com/healingpaws4warriors

•Heroes on the Water, Emerald Coast chapter, https://www.facebook.com/HeroesOnTheWaterEmeraldCoastChapter

•Healing Tools for Warriors, DeFuniak Springs, https://www.facebook.com/HealingToolsForWarriors/

•WWP Peer Support Group, Northwest Florida, based in Navarre, https://www.facebook.com/groups/229843110701988/?ref=group_header

The Veteran's Health Administration's link to get email updates on PTSD-related information is https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USVHA/bulletins/1f40995.

The National Institute of Mental Health also has good information specific to PTSD at https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml.

This article has been updated to correct the foundation's mailing address previously provided to the Crestview News Bulletin.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: PTSD-affected family helps veterans

CRESTVIEW — A family fun day will help fund medical care for a Crestview girl recently diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor.

The Maleia Spears Family Fun Day benefit is 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 9 at the Old Spanish Trail amphitheater on Stillwell Boulevard in Crestview.

The event includes a performance by Juke Joint Willie, a cornhole tournament with cash prizes, food and retail item sales, an auction and other activities.

All of the auction proceeds and a minimum of 50 percent of purchases from event vendors goes to the Maleia Spears Special Needs Trust.

Maleia, 10, daughter of Malcolm and Kristy Spears of Crestview, has had two surgeries to remove as much of the tumor as possible. She is now in the middle of radiation treatments that will continue through mid-July and hopefully eradicate the remaining tumor.

This process has been a huge financial burden for the family, but they are committed to get her the best care possible. Though insured, much of these expenses have not been covered by the Spears’ medical insurance, according to a media release for the event.

Monetary contributions can be made to Maleia L. Spears Supplemental Needs Trust, c/o Kristen Ellis, Welton Law Firm, 1020 S. Ferdon Blvd, Crestview, FL 32536.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Fundraiser to benefit Crestview resident

BAKER — The local free mobile dental clinic is soon. The event provides fillings and extractions to people in need.

It begins with a screening day 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 18 at the Baker Area Recreation Center, 5503 Highway 4, Baker. Clients who qualify will be booked for appointments the week of May 21-25 at the center.

Those who apply for dental treatment must be six or older, be part of a family at or below the 200 percent poverty guideline, and do not have dental insurance coverage. Childcare will not be available during the screening and clinic.

Mary Ann Henley, clinic project director, and her husband, Royce, are Baker Lions Club members. She discussed how the clinic came into being and what attendees can expect.

"'We serve.' That's our motto, and we try to reach out in the community and do as many helpful projects as we can, so that we can minister to and help other people.

"Royce made a mention at a club meeting that this was a project that maybe we could look into," she said.

The group contacted the Baker Area Ministerial Association and Okaloosa Baptist Association for help. They contacted the Florida Baptist Convention and arranged to start the clinics in 2012.

"The mobile dental unit is furnished and stocked by the Florida Baptist Convention. They take care of all of those expenses of the unit. And we just are scheduled once a year … and host the clinic here. They bring the unit to Baker, we set up at the pavilion at the Baker rec center, and then our patients come there."

Nurses will gather medical information from each patient to maintain a safe environment for the dental care to be performed, Henley said.

Volunteers fellowship with attendees at the event, and attendees receive a gift bag with dental products and donated complete Bibles. Snacks and water will be available during their appointments.

As director, Mary Ann reaches out to dentists and organizations all across Northwest Florida, including Eglin Air Force Base, to provide two dentists per day May 21-25 for the mobile unit's two chairs.

The convention provides a designated driver, a worker that does all the autoclaving for the appointments, and all the supplies dentists need to do the extractions and fillings.

Royce said the most important part for him consists of "getting the bus from south Florida …brought to Baker, put in place, and set up. And then during the week, I have other people besides just myself."

At that point, the group of more than 30 members provide support for the patients getting dental work done, and the dentists and crew.

He said they do whatever's necessary so as not to impede the people doing the work.

Contact Mary Ann Henley, 865-3144, for additional information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Residents may qualify for Baker's free dental clinic

FORT WALTON BEACH — Help make a difference in the community by participating in the nation’s and the community’s largest food drive: the 26th annual National Association of Letter Carriers "Stamp Out Hunger" Food Drive taking place May 12. The goal is to help local food banks restock their pantries. 

The NALC, in conjunction with the US Postal Service, the AFL-CIO, UFCW, Valpak, and United Way of Okaloosa and Walton Counties, May 12 will be collecting non-perishable and non-expired food items to include quick meals like macaroni, spaghetti, soups, canned meats, peanut butter, canned juice, canned fruits, canned vegetables, baby food and cereal.

To participate, place food donations in a bag next to the mailbox early the morning of May 12. The letter carrier will pick up the donations as they make their regular mail routes and then deliver them to local food banks.

For a list of our participating local food banks, visit www.united-way.org/food-drive/  

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Help restock local food banks during Stamp Out Hunger

CRESTVIEW — Here is a list of upcoming events and fundraisers for the Crestview Relay for Life, which is 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. April 20 at the Crestview High School, 1250 Ferdon Blvd. N., Crestview. Send your fundraiser information (event name, time, date and address of event) to news@crestviewbulletin.com. Proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society.

•A Speedee Printing and Lou Lou Beans raffle benefits the Crestview Relay For Life. Tickets are $5 each. The prizes are a Simply Southern T-Shirt, beach bag and a 16-ounce Corkcicle canteen. A winner will be announce 3 p.m. April 12 on the LLB Facebook page. Go to LLB, 973 Ferdon Blvd. S., Crestview, to purchase tickets.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Schedule of North Okaloosa Relay for Life events

CRESTVIEW — This week was the Florida Department of Health’s Tobacco Free Florida Week.

The annual awareness campaign started April 2 and ends tomorrow. It's focused on the theme of achieving health equity.

This year’s campaign aims to bring awareness to higher smoking rates in certain populations, such as low-income individuals, the LGBT community, people with mental health issues and racial and ethnic minorities.

Carissa Hickok is the Okaloosa County Health Department’s program manager for school health and tobacco.

“We’ve made great strides in Florida, just amazing things that have happened so far since Tobacco Free Florida has started,” Hickok said. “But there are still opportunities for improvement, and we’ve still got a ways to go since we’re not at our goals yet.”

Hickok said pregnant women in Okaloosa County smoke twice as much as the average pregnant woman in Florida. In Okaloosa County, that rate is 11.7 percent versus 5.7 percent for the state.

Okaloosa County as a whole has a 17.35 percent smoking rate, nearly two percentage points higher than the overall rate for the state.

The health department is working with the state to get a better view of the landscape of tobacco advertising and sales across the county. Hickok said they’ve found that retail stores in low-income areas tend to have far more tobacco advertising.

The statewide campaign is also launching new TV ads promoting free tools to help Floridians quit smoking.

Students at area schools are participating in events as part of Tobacco Free Florida Week. SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco) clubs consisting of middle and high school students are raising awareness on their campuses through lunchroom events and posting flyers.

There were also student-organized events at Northwest Florida State College during the week. The Tobacco-Free Task Force is working to make NWFSC a tobacco-free campus.

Hickok praised the student-led movement and the work they’ve done in the community.

“They’ve worked with city councils to get proclamations signed, resolutions signed. They’ve helped us work with multi-unit housing, trying to adopt policies there. The youth have an amazing voice and an amazing passion for this.”

For more information on Tobacco Free Florida or Quit Your Way services, visit www.tobaccofreeflorida.com.

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This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Anti-smoking campaign raises awareness of smoking rates

FORT WALTON BEACH — Three Okaloosa County parks have potentially hazardous bathing water, the Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County stated April 2.

Marler Park, Okaloosa Island; Emerald Promenade, Okaloosa Island; and Clement E. Taylor Park, Destin, failed tests based on EPA-recommended enterococci standards. Enteric bacteria's presence indicates fecal pollution from storm water runoff, pets and wildlife or human sewage.

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This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 3 Okaloosa parks receive hazardous water advisories