This free-admission event is scheduled to take place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 28 at Crestview’s Spanish Trail Park, 205 Stillwell Blvd.
Field Day is the annual worldwide exercise ensuring radio operators and equipment are ready for emergencies, members of the not-for-profit, 40-year-old NOARC said in a news release. For the exercise, members will set up antennas and radios while demonstrating ham radio’s science, skill, and service to local communities and the nation.
“Ham Radio is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission for the purpose of providing emergency communications during grid-down situations,” NOARC members said. “During hurricane season, the North Okaloosa Amateur Radio Club provides radio operators for the Crestview storm shelters and the Okaloosa County Emergency Operations Center.”
The purpose of the club is to encourage the unity, fellowship, and activities of the amateur radio community in the Okaloosa County and neighboring communities, members said on the club’s website. The group has members from Santa Rosa, Walton, and Okaloosa counties, as well as from Covington County, Alabama.
The club meets at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursday of the month at Live Oak Baptist Church, 4565 Live Oak Church Road, Crestview.
To learn more, visit w4aaz.org and the club’s Facebook page.
The Friends group, which has 42 volunteer members, donated three metal picnic tables to the public library, 1445 Commerce Drive, in April. Two of the tables stand under oaks on the library’s west side, and one stands beneath an oak on the east side.
The three tables cost a total of more than $3,000, Joan Giroux, treasurer of the Friends group, said today. Proceeds from Friends-sponsored book sales, which benefit the library in numerous ways, were used for the purchases.
Homeschooled children and their moms are some of the many people who have been enjoying the picnic tables, Friends fundraiser chairman Wanda Hulion said.
The Friends’ highly popular book sales are held twice per year. The next sale is scheduled for Aug. 22 and 23 at the Crestview Community Center just east of the library.
Besides donating the picnic tables, Friends group members recently used earnings from the book sales to purchase a popcorn machine, a snow cone machine, a display case, and a Lego Star Wars Death Star set for the library.
The recently donated snow cone and popcorn machines. (Photo by Tony Judnich)
“We hope to have both machines going for summer reading and summer movies,” Crestview Library Director Jean McCarthy said.
The display case will contain various items that can be rented from the library. The Lego set is used for Adult Lego Nights.
Michael “Mic” Harker, vice president of the Friends of the Crestview Library, shows the new display case the Friends group gave to the library.
Giroux said the Friends group also recently donated $1,299 to the Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative for scholarships that will assist people who are working to obtain their high school diploma.
“Everything they do goes back to the community,” McCarthy said of the Friends group members, adding that their many contributions “create a lot more excitement about the library.”
An annual membership in the Friends group costs $10 for an individual and $20 for a family. Membership applications are available at the library.
The festival, which has free admission, will take place at Heritage Park next to the nonprofit Baker Block Museum, 1307B Georgia Ave.
The museum is a local history and genealogy museum. The festival represents the museum’s second largest fundraiser after the Baker Heritage Day celebration, which takes place in November.
This year’s Arts Festival will feature more than 30 vendors, Baker Block Museum Executive Director Ann Spann said today.
Art is found in many forms, even ladies’ hats. (Photo by Stephanie Holcombe)
Items for sale will include original paintings, woodworking items, jewelry, candles, flowers and wreaths, birdhouses, soaps, natural herbs, baked goods, homemade ice cream, and other types of food.
The fest also will include informational booths hosted by local clubs, such as the Baker Area Garden Club.
Featuring more than 100 visual artists, as well as live music and theater performances and master craftsman blacksmith demonstrations, the festival will take place on the Dugas Pavilion green at the Mattie Kelly Cultural Arts Village, 4323 W. Commons Drive.
During the fest, art lovers of all ages will be able to watch artists create works during live art demonstrations, browse art from dozens of emerging and student artists, and get hands-on in the interactive children’s art station.
Beyond the visual arts, the festival will feature two days of continual live music and a sampling of the local culinary arts scene. Entertaining street performers, lively art drawings, and the sale of colorful keepsake souvenirs — all create a family-friendly festival feel.
This year, artists will be displaying everything from oil paintings and fine photography to mixed media, mosaics, sculpture, clay ceramics, jewelry, and more. After more than two decades, this festival has become a popular and proven showcase for some of the best artistic talent nationwide who venture to Northwest Florida to compete for more than $12,000 in cash prizes.
This year’s festival will include more than 100 artists. (Photo courtesy of the MKAF)
The judging panel includes Reanna Watson, academy director for the Eastern Shore Art Center in Fairhope, Alabama, and Sheri O. Sanderson, who has served at LeMoyne Arts gallery since 2008 and was instrumental in developing the famed Chain of Parks Art Festival. These judges will award artist prizes in the juried and collaborative art categories.
On Saturday, festivalgoers are invited to vote for the “People’s Choice” Artist Award by casting a ballot located at the Main Festival Entrance.
Featured guest artist
Look for live, fiery blacksmith demonstrations by master craftsman David Sandlin to the right of the Dugas Pavilion stage. With decades of experience gained from working across various countries and cultures, Sandlin now teaches woodshop and blacksmithing, and also offers apprenticeships.
A celebration of music
This year’s live entertainment lineup expands to seven live music performances and — new this year — live theater scenes. Saturday (10-11:30 a.m.) Jones & Company deliver jazz, soul, and world music, then rock, blues, dance, and original music by Tillman & Taff (noon-2 p.m.), followed by Stage Crafters Community Theatre company members who will perform scenes from their upcoming fall musical production of “A Gentlemen’s Guide to Love and Murder.”
(2:15-2:45 p.m.) Rounding out the day is Stormfolk with their folk, bluegrass, rock and pop sounds.
On Sunday, Now & Then(10-11 a.m.) opens the festival with folk tunes that allow them to improvise their acoustic fiddle and guitar, followed by Roman Street Trio (11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.) — an instrumental band specializing in improvisational fusion of classical, gypsy, contemporary jazz and Latin vibes. Sinfonia Youth Orchestra (1:45-2:15 p.m.) performs folk, holiday seasonal, and classic favorites and Nashville duo Luke & Kaylee(2:30-4 p.m.) closes out the festival with their country music.
The art of dining
The festival has expanded its culinary arts experience, too. Cuisine on the Green will serve up samplings of Venezuelan cuisine from La Chama Venez, gourmet burgers, chicken and fish sandwiches from Fuel Burgers, Latin vegan cuisine from That Rican Vegan, Texas smoked BBQ from Red Neck Riviera Smokers, plus Italian ice and gelato from Repicci’s of the Panhandle and classic savory snacks from PJ’s Popcorn & Pork Rinds. Foodies can toast the arts with select wine, beer, and fresh-crafted Bloody Mary cocktails in the Beer & Wine Garden.
More festival amenities
Buy festival merchandise —This year’s official festival guide, poster, and t-shirt feature the coastal-inspired artwork of Santa Rosa Beach-based artist Kelly Pierre. Signed and numbered poster prints and souvenir t-shirts featuring Pierre’s vibrant, whimsical oil on canvas entitled “Transcendent” — that beautifully evokes the spirit of Florida living — will be available for sale in the Souvenir Tent.
Win art! — Be sure to also visit the Art Drawing Tent and enter the charity benefit drawing for chances to win a range of original artwork generously donated by the festival artists. The drawing will take place at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27, but you do not need to be present to win.
Get the guide — A complimentary four-color festival guide containing a roster of all artists, a map of the festival site, the entertainment lineup, a list of food & beverage vendors, and other helpful hints on how to navigate through the festival is available at the entrance.
Free parking/shuttle —Park for free at Destin High School located adjacent to the Cultural Arts Village or at Emerald Coast Centre, located on U.S. Highway 98 near Beall’s department store, and ride the free continuous shuttle service right to the main entrance. The Cultural Arts Village is designed as an ADA-compliant venue with available handicap parking.
While the festival has free admission, donations are welcome. Proceeds benefit Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation and its ArtsReach initiatives serving local K-12 students, individuals with disabilities, and active-duty military and veterans throughout Northwest Florida and the Southeast.
For more information about the Festival of the Arts, visit www.MKAF.org or call (850) 650-2226.
Starting August 24, the vaccine will be available on Wednesdays in Ft. Walton Beach—221 Hospital Drive NE and on Thursdays in Crestview—810 E. James Lee Blvd. from 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. The vaccine will be given in the Immunizations Office.
High-risk groups include:
• People who have been identified by public health officials as a contact of someone with monkeypox
• People who know one of their sexual partners in the past two weeks has been diagnosed with monkeypox
• People who had multiple sexual partners in the past two weeks in an area with known monkeypox
• Laboratory workers who perform diagnostic testing for monkeypox and members of designated health care worker response teams designated by appropriate public health authorities.
Please note vaccine is limited at this time. If there are no appointments available, please check back as DOH-Okaloosa will offer new appointments as vaccine becomes available.
The hepatitis A and meningococcal disease vaccine is also available at no cost to those at high risk and may be received during the same appointment.
Human-to-human transmission generally requires prolonged, face-to-face contact, direct contact with lesion materials, or indirect contact with lesion materials through contaminated items, such as contaminated clothing.
Up-to-date information on monkeypox is available at FloridaHealth.gov. Case data for monkeypox, as well as other reportable diseases, can be found on FLHealthCharts.gov.
CRESTVIEW — This year’s annual walk and ceremony honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. will take place soon in Crestview. This annual City of Crestview event is organized by the Concerned Citizens of Crestview, with support from Mayor JB Whitten.
Mayor Whitten encourages all citizens, including children, to participate in this recognition of one of our greatest Americans.
The event starts 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 15 at the south entrance to Main Street. The march concludes at the Veterans’ Memorial, where a ceremony will follow the community’s walk up Main Street.
This year’s featured guest speaker is the Rev. Benjamin Randolph of Beulah No. 1 Missionary Baptist Church in Milligan. Crestview Police Chief Stephen McCosker, Crestview High School Jr. ROTC Sgt. Joann Durm, Linda Parker, Whitten, and Pearl G. Bess are among the scheduled participants in this year’s ceremony.
CRESTVIEW — Team members in Okaloosa and Walton counties exceeded their goal of 10,000 packed Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes in 2021.
Churches, individuals, and groups worked to pack, gather and ship the boxes, which will be sent to children all over the world by Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian charity which teaches children about “the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Shoebox and monetary donations may still be made online as well. Visit samaritanspurse.org for more information.
Did you have a merry and blessed Christmas with your family and friends? Did you receive the gifts that you wanted? Did you receive Jesus, the greatest gift of all? His birth, which is why we celebrate Christmas, was to bring salvation to the world.
We all get a variety of gifts, and some of them stand out more than others. Sometimes just a small gift is more meaningful than a larger more expensive gift, as it has loving memories behind it.
I look at the beautiful quilts my mother made over the years and see all the love that she put into them, as well as the quilt and afghans Jim's mother made for him. As we grow older, we don't need as many possessions to make us happy as most of us have houses full of items we have accumulated over the years.
My husband, Jim, requested a new screen door for the back porch. This was a practical gift and one that is on order for him. We send gifts to the grandchildren as they outgrow clothing and jackets and love new toys each year.
What plans do you have for the new year? It is difficult to believe that 2022 is almost upon us.
We used to spend New Year's Eve at Walt Disney World, but have decided that is a long drive for just a few days. We have no particular plans and may just ring in the New Year by watching the local count down from Pensacola. Maybe I can convince my husband to play Monopoly with me.
As you know from reading my column over the years, I am not much of a resolution person, but there always areas in our lives that could use improvement. What are some areas that you'd like to work on in 2022? Did you make any lifestyle changes in 2021 that you'd like to carry forward?
Are you eating healthier, more fresh vegetables and fruits and less processed foods? Did you spend more time exercising than in previous years? Are you getting plenty of sunshine, our natural vitamin D? Whatever changes you'd like to make, start now so that 2022 will be a successful year.
Did you manage to read through the Bible in 2021? If not, you have an entire new year ahead to do so. There are many Bible reading plans on the internet that you can follow and your church may also have a Bible reading plan.
Perhaps there is a program or charity that could use your particular skills. Make this the year to volunteer your time and talents. Take stock of where you are today, decide where you'd like to be on Dec. 31, 2022 and make a plan.
These past two years have been difficult and our prayer is that everyone has a very happy, healthy New Year!
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.
CRESTVIEW — Recently, we enjoyed an evening celebrating the holiday season at our annual Noel Night. This event has become a tradition with Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa activities including crafts, choir performances, and dreidel.
Here, the community comes to celebrate and connect. Even Santa and Mrs. Claus stop in to visit. When this season moves to the next, the library will continue to be a place for community connection.
When the world seems so chaotic and polarizing, the library is a beacon in the storm. These last few years have been especially tough for most. Human connection has never been more important to our well-being.
It is the library’s mission to provide space for curiosity, exploration, and access to reliable information and assistance from experienced staff.
At Crestview Public Library, we believe that access equals opportunity. Sometimes that means a space to create, the ability to research peer reviewed information, or using the internet to apply for a new job.
We offer many services and resources to help improve your quality of life. If you would like to learn more about all that Crestview Public Library offers, please come see us at 1445 Commerce Drive, Crestview, call us at 850-682-4432, or visit our website www.cityofcrestview.org/178/library.
Jean McCarthy is director of Library Services at the Crestview Public Library.
Christmas is almost here. Are you prepared? Are the cards mailed, the packages wrapped and the baking finished? Is your house clean and ready for guests should you be hosting Christmas? Do you feel frazzled?
Quite simply, Christmas was not meant to be a time of hectic activity. God desires peace for us and at Christmas we should spend time contemplating the wondrous gift God sent the world through his Son, Jesus.
Yes, it is a wonderful time of year to gather with family and friends and spend time with them. It is fun to buy gifts for one another, but let's not forget the true meaning of Christmas is Jesus. Jesus was born as a baby and came to Earth to redeem humankind from their sins in order that we can live eternally in heaven with God, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
We have heard the story of Jesus' birth. The angel Gabriel came to a young woman named Mary and told her that she would conceive a baby and that he would be the Son of the Most High God. The angel continued that God would give Jesus the throne of his father David, that Jesus would reign forever and there would be no end to his kingdom.
Mary asked how could this happen as she was a virgin and the angel answered and told her the power of the Holy Spirit would come upon her. (Luke 1:26-38) Mary replied that she was the handmaiden of the Lord and that his will be done.
One can imagine the surprise Joseph had when Mary told him she was having a baby. He knew the child wasn't his and I'm sure was hurt that Mary was pregnant. Being a good and righteous man, Joseph didn't want Mary stoned to death (the penalty for adultery) so he sought a way to privately send her away. An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him to go ahead and take Mary as his wife as the baby she was carrying had been conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The angel further told Joseph the baby would be called Jesus and that he would save his people from their sins. Then the angel quoted Isaiah 7:14, "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a Son, and they shall call his name Immanuel." So Joseph did as the angel requested and took Mary as his wife. (Matthew 1:18-25)
What an amazing story is the birth of Jesus Christ. Mary was probably a young teenager and Joseph may have been a few years older, but here is this young couple and the Lord allowed them the honor and privilege of being the earthly parents of his Son. I am certain they took this responsibility seriously.
Caesar Augustus, the ruler of Rome, decided to conduct a census and wanted everyone to go to the town of their ancestors. So a very pregnant Mary, along with Joseph, set out for Bethlehem to be counted. There were no rooms available for this couple and Mary was going to have a baby, so they found a stable and she gave birth among the animals. A lowly stable was the birthplace of our Savior who had come from heaven to be born as a human baby and would eventually die for our sins.
No one on this Earth has ever been more royal than the Lord Jesus Christ, yet he was born in a stable into very humble circumstances. He was sent to the world, not just the rich and powerful. The first people to worship the newborn King were the shepherds from the field. The religious leaders of his day rejected Christ Jesus, but the poor and everyday citizens accepted him. We all have a choice. Do we accept Christ Jesus as our Savior, or do we reject him? We need to choose wisely.
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men," Luke 2:14.
Have a Blessed and Merry Christmas as we celebrate the birth of Christ.
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.
