CRESTVIEW — Crestview cold weather shelters will be open tonight through Saturday, Dec. 19. 

The Okaloosa County Cold Weather Shelter Program provides protection when temperatures drop below 40 degrees.  Shelters open at 6 p.m. on these days and at these locations:

Thursday: Community of Christ, 398 W. 1^st Ave.; behind Whitehurst/Powell Funeral Home, 682-6219

Friday:  First Presbyterian Church, host Emanuel Baptist; 492 Ferdon Blvd. N.; (Highway 85 and 90,) 682-9416

Saturday:  First United Methodist, 599 8th Ave.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview cold weather shelters open tonight

LAUREL HILL — With a howl of fire engine sirens and calls of “Merry Christmas” from riders and observers, the Laurel Hill Christmas Parade wended its way through town Saturday, leaving candies galore scattered in its wake.

Old Red, the Laurel Hill Fire Department’s restored 1940s fire engine, led the procession, with First Baptist Church pastor and Fire Chief Mike McVay, dressed in his familiar Hobo mascot outfit, waving from the rear step.

Candidates for political office, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and floats bearing proud Laurel Hill School Hoboes and church groups contributed to the small but merry parade.

As it headed up Fourth Avenue, Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church volunteers paused while laying out hundreds of luminaries for the evening Living Nativity to catch cascades of bonbons, Bible bookmarks and small games and puzzles.

As the sun set, the church grounds' candlelight twinkled, with fire pits defining stops along the way for more than 225 attendees who made “journeys to Bethlehem.”

At each stop, attendees heard the stories of Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, King Herod, and a Roman census taker before arriving at the stable in Bethlehem.

“We look forward to it every year,” Katie Lynn Powell, who brought her sons down from Andalusia, Alabama, for the event. “It’s part of our Christmas now.”

“What a joy and honor to be a part of this,” volunteer Tammie Becker of Crestview said. “This is an awesome event and it gets just a little better each year.”

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Laurel Hill celebrates Christmas with parade, Living Nativity (VIDEO)

CRESTVIEW — Throughout North Okaloosa County, choirs, choruses and bands are rehearsing for Christmas performances.

These Christmas concerts are scheduled for the Crestview area. All are free, unless noted, and open to the public.

●Dec. 14: Schola Cantorum of Northwest Florida State College, 7 p.m., First Presbyterian Church of Crestview, State Road 85 at Courthouse Terrace

●Dec. 15: Baker School band concert, 7 p.m., auditorium.

●Dec. 15: Crestview High School concert, 7 p.m., Pearl Tyner Auditorium, $5 adults, $2 students

●Dec. 15: Laurel Hill Middle School concert, 6:30 p.m., gymnasium

●Dec. 15: Shoal River Middle School Band concert, 7 p.m., auditorium

●Dec. 18: Baker School chorus concert, 7 p.m., auditorium

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 6 Christmas concerts scheduled in North Okaloosa County

CRESTVIEW — Central Baptist Church's soup kitchen will temporarily be closed after December for maintenance.

The church will provide meals at 11 a.m. Mondays through Dec. 28 at the Recreation Outreach Center, 1005 South Pearl St., Crestview, but will be closed January through March for maintenance and upgrades.

The Rev. Paul Mixon said the center's kitchen, which has provided meals at no charge for six years, requires updating and maintenance.

Meals will be served at the renovated kitchen starting April 4.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview soup kitchen closed for maintenance, upgrades

CRESTVIEW — Elder Gary Johnson and his wife, Doris Hill, want to distribute toys to 150 girls and 150 boys this Christmas.

But the Brotherhood of Love, their organization, will need Crestview area elves' help to reach their goal.

The group needs food for its 1-4 p.m. community Christmas dinner, and it seeks new or gently used toys — "whatever God puts on their heart to give" — for 1- to 11-year-olds, Johnson said. Such donations would ensure children from lower-income households can experience some of the season's joy, Johnson said.  "To most of those kids … they don't know what it is to get a gift, or a Christmas tree, or toys."

Johnson said he also would like children to experience Santa Claus. "What I really, really was hoping … is if somebody could donate us a Santa Claus suit," he said. "If they do, I'm gonna dress up and play Santa Claus."

Personally, Johnson also could use some help with transportation so he and his wife can meet donors for deliveries who don't drop off contributions at his house. "We're praying that someone will reach out and help us in getting transportation," he said, adding his car recently became inoperable and, adding to problems, he was hospitalized earlier this week.

Despite these setbacks, his dedication to the effort hasn't wavered, and he keeps the faith.

This is the BOL's second annual Christmas dinner and toy giveaway, following the second annual Thanksgiving Day feast, also supported by the city of Crestview and the Crestview News Bulletin. The group served meals to more than 500 people during the Nov. 25 event, which Johnson and his wife organized, with Johnson, a retired master chef, preparing the food. But the events are entirely supported by monetary and food donations.

"We would like to extend a thank you and appreciation for everyone who donated to our Thanksgiving feast," Hill said.

"I am very grateful and very thankful to all the local businesses and churches, and especially people in the community, that reached out to us and made this possible … without them none of this could take place," Johnson said.

The couple hope the same outpouring of community support will fuel enough donations for a memorable Christmas feast, toy giveaway, and a 5:30-7:30 p.m. gospel talent show for 6- to 15-year-olds, with cash prizes and trophies.

Because the event is about so much more than toys and fun, Johnson said.

"I feel if we come together as a community and give each other a helping hand, the world would rid (itself) of a lot of crime and drugs and misunderstanding and confusion," he said.

"If love conquers all things, then there's no weapon on this earth greater than love."

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HOW TO HELP

The Brotherhood of Love needs these items for its Christmas dinner, 1-4 p.m. Dec. 25 at Carver-Hill School Center, 398 School Ave., Crestview:

●Smoked meat

●Beef and pork roast

●10-pound leg quarters

●White and sweet potatoes

●Frozen butterbeans and frozen peas

●Collard greens

●Pickles

●Rice

●All seasonings, including Jamaican jerk spice

●Sodas and juices

●Desserts

●Paper plates, napkins and plastic cups, knives and forks

Drop off donations at 398 N. Spring St., Crestview, or call Elder Gary Johnson, BOL founder, at 229-379-1741

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Food, toys needed for Crestview Christmas feast