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

Have you ever noticed people can be quick to make assumptions?

We hear various labels and pigeonhole someone into a category. Christian. Muslim. Atheist. Vegetarian. Yankee. Rebel. Conservative. Liberal.

Assumptions are often made about a person's lifestyle, mindset and attitude based on a label. People are put into categories: good, bad, righteous, evil, selfish, kind, gullible.

Labels, a human invention, often delineate between those similar or dissimilar to "me." They signify with whom I associate and from whom I keep my distance.

Unfortunately, many have forgotten the one label — child of God — outshines all others. Claiming and living this label — this title — is the one unifying factor for humanity. All others are human-made and serve only to divide us.

When you meet a new person and let the label "child of God" be your very first impression and foundation, the other labels placed on that person are unnecessary.

Will you allow yourself to see a child of God?

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: Human-made labels divide us

A group of residents recently were together and the talk turned to the desires for Crestview. 

Interestingly enough, there was quite a cross-section of people; some newcomers and some who have lived in the area over 40 years. The common complaint was the poor traffic flow. I come from Los Angeles, home of the big parking lot also known as the freeway, so I know about terrible traffic.

Ever since my husband, Jim, and I moved here, there have been talks and traffic studies for a by-pass, but nothing is accomplished. This may be due to land restrictions or other issues, but we definitely need traffic relief.

The wish list for Crestview comprised:

•Retail stores so that one doesn't have to drive to Destin, Fort Walton Beach or Pensacola to shop. The main stores brought up were Kohl's, Hobby Lobby and Target. Having retail locations such as these would keep a portion of the sales tax here in Crestview.

•Large chain restaurants, such as Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Longhorn Steakhouse, Carrabba's and Golden Corral.

•No more fast food, banks or vape shops.

•Traffic relief.

It is sad that sit-down restaurants are closing. Ryan's, which had a huge capacity, has closed and Chick-Fil-A is taking that geographical location. While I love Chick-Fil-A, it isn't the same as a large-scale sit-down buffet. 

The north end of town is exploding and there are not many services. We have the Winn-Dixie Plaza and David's Catfish House, but not much else. A new Publix is being built along with a Wendy's, but as far as I know, no sit-down restaurants. Walmart is planning on building a store across from Johnny O'Quigley's.

Some stores don't want to come to Crestview, as they don't think we have enough residents, but stores that are already here don't mind expanding with second locations, so obviously we have enough people to patronize new businesses.

Downtown Crestview was also discussed. The major complaint was parking and that the businesses close so early. If we could get some top-notch restaurants in that area I believe many people would be delighted — some ideas for us to ponder.

What businesses would you like to see in Crestview?

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: Some wishes for Crestview

Around the world and throughout the year, thousands of events honor women's achievements. Yet, women still face challenges in many areas of life — such as their financial situations. So if you're a woman, you may want to use this occasion to consider steps you can take to help move toward your important financial goals, such as a comfortable retirement.

First of all, be aware of the potential obstacles facing women: lower earnings than men, longer lifespans than men and more time out of the workforce than men. This last element is particularly important, because when women leave the workforce for extended periods, typically to care for young children or older parents, they will have much less time to contribute to their 401(k) or another employer-sponsored retirement plan.

Whether you fit the above profile perfectly or not, and whether you're married or single, you must take action on your own behalf. Here are some suggestions:

Here are some suggestions:

•Ramp up your retirement plan contributions. Contribute as much as you can afford to your 401(k) or other employer retirement plan. Your 401(k) is a good way to build retirement savings because your earnings accumulate on a tax-deferred basis, which means your money can grow faster than if it were placed in an investment on which you paid taxes every year. (You will have to pay taxes on withdrawals; also, withdrawals prior to age 59 1⁄2 may be subject to a 10 percent IRS penalty.)

•Contribute to an IRA. Even if you have a 401(k) or similar plan, you're probably still eligible to open an IRA. Contributions to a traditional IRA may be tax-deductible, while earnings can grow tax deferred. If you invest in a Roth IRA, your contributions are not deductible, but any earnings growth is distributed tax-free, provided you've had your account at least five years and don't start taking withdrawals until you're 59 1⁄2.

•Don't invest too conservatively. Some studies show that women may invest more conservatively than men. This could be a problem, especially since, as mentioned above, women are also out of the workforce longer and may have fewer years to contribute to their 401(k plans. Consequently, when you invest in your 401(k), IRA or other accounts, consider including in your holdings growth-oriented vehicles consistent with your risk tolerance, such as stocks. Stocks are more susceptible to market volatility, but you can help reduce the impact of this volatility by owning a mix of investments, including stocks, bonds and cash.

•Talk to your spouse about Social Security. If your spouse starts collecting Social Security at 62 (the earliest age of eligibility), the monthly benefits could be reduced, perhaps by as much as 25 percent. This reduction could affect you if you ever become a widow, because once you reach your own "full" retirement age (which will likely be 66 or 67), you may qualify for survivor benefits of 100 percent of what your deceased spouse had been receiving — and if that amount is reduced, you'll get a reduced benefit. Talk to your spouse about this issue well before it's time to receive Social Security.

By making the right moves through some extra steps, you will find yourself on the road to financial freedom. 

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Women may need extra help toward financial security

A number of summers ago, I noticed whiteflies on a confederate rose plant in my landscape.

I considered using an insecticide to control the whiteflies but decided against doing so after taking a closer look. What I found was a population of ladybugs — eggs, larvae, pupae and adults.

Ladybug adults and larvae eat whiteflies, as well as other soft-bodied insects such as aphids. So, I waited to see what would happen.

At first, I was seeing mostly adult whiteflies, which look like tiny white moths. Adult whiteflies mate and then lay eggs on the underside of leaves. The eggs hatch into flat translucent scale-like nymphs that suck the "juice" from the underside of the leaves.

Eventually, some of the leaves developed a black coating called sooty mold. As certain insects (primarily aphids, some scales and whiteflies) feed, they excrete plant sap that coats the leaves. A sooty mold then grows on this sugary sap. It’s not a pathogen. It just makes the leaves look ugly.

Knowing that the whiteflies would not kill the confederate rose, I was willing to tolerate the sooty mold and allow the ladybug population to build.

Allowing whiteflies to live on your plants may not always be the best option. But in order to have beneficial insects in your landscape, there must be some "bad" insects for them to eat.

Insects such as ladybugs, lacewings and praying mantises eat many pest insects. Encouraging these beneficial insects can allow you to reduce the amount of pesticides applied.

It’s important to learn to recognize the adult and immature stages of these beneficial insects. Ladybugs have larvae that look nothing like the adults. Some ladybug larvae look like small orange-and-black alligators. Others may resemble mealybugs. Many gardeners who would never kill adult ladybugs mistake their larvae as pests and kill them with insecticides.

The following University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension website will help you learn to recognize many of our beneficial insects: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_beneficial_insects.

Once you find beneficial insects in your landscape, reduce or eliminate the use of insecticides. When an insecticide is needed, use environmentally friendly options such as insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils and products that contain Bacillus thuringiensis.

Sometimes, a heavy stream of water from a water hose is all that is needed to remove pest insects from plants and reduce their numbers to an acceptable population.

Remember, leaving a few pest insects is a great way to attract beneficial insects. Tolerating a minor infestation and a little plant damage will benefit the helpful insects, your pocketbook and the environment.

Larry Williams 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: Some insects benefit your garden