lifestyle | Crestview News Bulletin

Average Joe Car Show returns to downtown

Written by archive on April 22, 2017. Posted in lifestyle, things-to-do.

CRESTVIEW—The Average Joe Car Show returned to downtown for the 17th consecutive year on Saturday and featured hundreds of vintage cars and automobile enthusiasts.

The event focused on older vehicles, requiring entries be no newer than a 1987 model.

Sixteen award categories were featured with awards for first, second and third in each category. These included sections for different decades, trucks, motorcycles, rat rods and other classes. There were eight special award classes such as best of show, best engine, most rusted and ugliest entry.

Partial proceeds from the event—raised by vehicle entry fees—will be donated to the Okaloosa School Nutrition Association Scholarship Fund.

The car show was sponsored by the city and organized by the Spanish Trail Cruisers. The group serves as a medium for the exchange of ideas, information for parts and assists and unites automobile enthusiasts to boost the community.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Average Joe Car Show returns to downtown

Okaloosa mosquito control starts

Written by archive on April 21, 2017. Posted in health-fitness, lifestyle.

CRESTVIEW — The Okaloosa County Mosquito Control Program began spot spraying this month. Within the next couple of weeks, the standard evening broadcast spray schedule will begin, weather permitting.

Here is the schedule.

MONDAYS

North Okaloosa: John Riley Barnhill Road to Escambia Farms, Vinson Ray Road, Beaver Creek to north Baker, U.S. Highway 90 East from Shoal River to County Line Road and north to Poverty Creek Road
Crestview: Rattlesnake Bluff and Little Silver Road, Aplin Road south to Live Oak Church Road
South County: Wynnehaven Beach, Florosa and Valparaiso
Destin: Destin Bridge to Airport Road

TUESDAYS

North Okaloosa: East side of U.S. Highway 189 to U.S. Highway 602; Four Flags area, Baker and Holt south of U.S. 90.
Crestview: Aplin Road north to U.S. 90; Old Bethel Road past Sioux Circle, Rattlesnake Bluff and Little Silver Road, Old Antioch Road to U.S. 90 west of State Road 85
South County: Airport Road to Walton County line, Mary Esther/Fort Walton Beach and Bluewater Bay

WEDNESDAYS

North Okaloosa: Holt north of U.S. 90, Baker west of Galliver Cutoff, Laurel Hill to county line, U.S. Highway 393 N., Steel Mill Road
Crestview: Old Bethel Road to Airport Road, U.S. 90 from Fairchild Road to State 85, north to Airport Road
South Okaloosa: Streets off Lewis Turner Boulevard to Carmel Drive, Rocky Bayou, Fort Walton Beach from Brooks Bridge to Memorial Parkway

THURSDAYS

North Okaloosa: Poverty Creek Road, U.S. 393 to Campton, Baker from Galliver Cutoff to Old River Road
Crestview: Lake Silver Road to Airport Road to Auburn area
South Okaloosa: Shalimar, Ocean City, Mooney Road area and Niceville

See www.co.okaloosa.fl.us for the spray schedule, preventive tips and other related information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa mosquito control starts

How the sandwich generation can relieve financial stress

Written by archive on April 17, 2017. Posted in lifestyle.

Don't worry too much if you haven't heard, but April is National Stress Awareness Month. Of course, stress can present emotional and physical challenges to all of us, but if you belong to the "sandwich generation" — that is, you may be caring for aging parents while still supporting your own children — you may be facing some financial stress as well.

What can you do to relieve it? For one thing, be aware that you're certainly not alone. About one in seven middle-aged adults is providing financial support to both an aging parent and a child, according to the Pew Research Center.

Still, knowing that you have plenty of company won't provide you with solutions for your own situation. So consider the following:

•Suggest "downsizing." Are your parents still paying a costly mortgage on a house that's now too big for them? You might want to encourage them to think about downsizing. They may be emotionally attached to their home, but they might benefit substantially if they moved someplace that's less expensive.

•Talk to parents about their income sources. Are your parents maximizing their Social Security payments? Are they following a sensible withdrawal strategy for their IRA, 401(k) or other retirement accounts? You may want to recommend that they work with a qualified financial professional.

•Discuss all legal arrangements. Be aware of your parents' estate plans and the status of important legal documents — will, living trust, power of attorney, health care directive, and so on. When the time arises for any of these arrangements to take effect, you don't want to face any unpleasant — and possibly costly — surprises.

•Find out about health care. Try to learn about your parents' health insurance coverage. And have they done anything to protect themselves from the potentially catastrophic costs of long-term care, such as an extended nursing home stay? You may not be able to do a great deal for them in these areas, but at the least, you may be able to get them to take some positive action on their own behalf.

•Don't ignore your own retirement savings. Even if you can afford to provide some financial support to your parents, don't shortchange yourself when it comes to your own retirement savings. You don't get a "do-over" when it comes to putting away money for retirement, so contribute as much as you can afford to your IRA and your 401(k) or another employer-sponsored retirement plan.

•Prioritize your investment choices. If you would like to help your children go to college, you might want to consider a college savings vehicle. Still, you may need to prioritize your investments. After all, your children will likely have a variety of options — such as loans and scholarships — to help them pay for school, and they may also be able to reduce costs substantially by going to a community college their first two years. But you are basically "up against the clock" when it comes to saving for retirement, so you'll want to take that into account when allocating your investment dollars.

Belonging to the sandwich generation can certainly produce feelings of anxiety. But by following the above suggestions, you may be able to reduce some of this stress. And by doing so, you can help your parents, your children — and yourself.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: How the sandwich generation can relieve financial stress

Youth Leadership Conference to teach teens life lessons

Written by archive on April 17, 2017. Posted in columns, lifestyle.

This year, the 4^th Annual Youth Leadership Conference will be hosted by the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast in partnership with United For a Good Cause.

At the event, they will team up with me, your Family and Consumer Science Agent at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension, to help teens prepare for life after high school by engaging in Living On My Own, a hands-on simulation.

This is a unique experience for teens, in which they are assigned careers and family situations (married with two children, for example) and then visit 12 simulation stations to decide on housing options, child care and whether to purchase cable TV.

Students do the math and calculate their living expenses vs. their income. Some of them have a real eye-opening experience and find that they may need to get a second job, or live without the fancy sports car; and realize they should never forget about those “life happens” events — they have to figure those out too!

Teens are also encouraged to give back by volunteering or donating to a charity. The goal is for students to learn financial and life skills, and realize that decisions you make, even as a teen, have an impact on your future and potential financial independence.

In addition to Living On My Own, guest speakers will present throughout the day on leadership and empowerment as well as entrepreneurship. Lots of giveaways and lunch are also included.

The Youth Leadership Conference is open to all area students, grades seven through 12, with a cost of $10 to register. The event takes place April 22, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast Youth Center, 923 Denton Blvd. NW, Fort Walton Beach. Parents can register students at unitedforagoodcause.org.

Also happening at the UF-IFAS Extension: The Okaloosa County Master Gardener Association Lecture Series' "Nature’s Bounty on a Woodland Trail," featuring Bob Bayer, Okaloosa County Master Gardener, is Wednesday, April 19, 10-11 a.m. at the Okaloosa Extension Office, 3098 Airport Road, Crestview.

For more information call the UF-IFAS Okaloosa County Extension office at 689-5850.

Jill Breslawski 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: Youth Leadership Conference to teach teens life lessons

Travel to France with the Sister City Program

Written by archive on April 17, 2017. Posted in columns, lifestyle.

Crestview, one of the cities that has a very active Sister City Program, coordinates visits between our fair town and Noirmoutier, France. The Crestview Area Sister City program will be making a trip to Noirmoutier from September 7 through September 19,

The Crestview Area Sister City program will be making a trip to Noirmoutier from Sept. 7-19, 2017, and staying with host families and experiencing French culture first-hand. You can take part in this trip to France; you will be immersed in the history, culture and cuisine of Noirmoutier. This is a wonderful way to get to know people from another country and make new friends.

Requirements for this trip are that you purchase a roundtrip airline ticket to France, and meet at the Nantes train station on Sept. 7 for the Crestview Sister City group to be transported to the island. Roundtrip airfare to Paris is about $1,350 right now, and then there is the cost to take the train to Nantes and perhaps a few days in a hotel before or after your visit to Noirmoutier, depending

Roundtrip airfare to Paris is about $1,350 right now, and then there is the cost to take the train to Nantes and perhaps a few days in a hotel before or after your visit to Noirmoutier, depending upon your schedule and preference. The train fare is about $45 per person each way from Paris to Nantes. Also required is the yearly membership in the Sister City Program, which is $20 for an individual and $30 for a family.

The travel group will meet 4 p.m. in Nantes, France on Thursday, Sept. 7, and will be transported by their host families to Noirmoutier, about an hour away. Once in Noirmoutier, you will not stay in a hotel but will be the guest of a French family who will provide meals and housing. During this visit, you will get to know the French people and their wonderful town.

This is an opportunity that a travel agent couldn't provide.

There are other side trips available should you and your group be interested. If this sounds like the trip of a lifetime, contact Sister City President Brian Hughes for more information at 603-2584 or brian_abroad@yahoo.com. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time and getting to know the lovely people who came to Crestview last year; they are warm, caring and friendly, and will make nice hosts.

Take lots of pictures to share with us.

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: Travel to France with the Sister City Program

'It seemed to start slowly and then snowballed'

Written by archive on April 14, 2017. Posted in Faith, lifestyle.

Editor's Note: This continues our Celebrate Community series on North Okaloosa nonprofit organizations and efforts.

CRESTVIEW — Larry and Linda Tuggle of Crestview have seen more shoes in the past two months than most people see in a lifetime, with 6,233 donated pairs and counting.

The couple joined a ServantCARE nonprofit ministry shoe drive. Funds2Orgs, another nonprofit, ships the donated shoes to impoverished people in Haiti and central Africa to help teach them to start, maintain and grow their own business, according to the organization's media release.

ServantCARE sets a goal of 2,500 shoes per household, and each participating household receives a box with a 100 bags in it, according to Larry Tuggle. Each bag holds 25 pairs of shoes.

In the first few weeks, they said they were a little concerned about reaching their goal by the March 31 deadline.

"We had little faith, and we learned that God is much bigger than our natural eye can see or our natural mind can understand," Larry said.

"It wasn't attainable," Linda said.

"But we prayed and God just moved, and we learned that God can supply more than we can even think or imagine," Larry said.

After praying for help, the two sat down and made a list of everybody they knew, and everybody they felt comfortable asking to provide 25 pairs of shoes.

"We have friends who work on base, we have friends who go to MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), we have friends in Fort Walton, friends in Niceville, and we started asking friends, individuals, our neighbors," Linda said. "We took brochures to all our neighbors, and asked them to ask their friends."

"We made a list of churches and asked them for help, and we met with businesses where we knew the business owners and felt comfortable asking them."

Then, shoes really started coming in.

"We're both retired," Larry said, "but we didn't realize this was going to become a full-time job. It seemed to start slowly and then snowballed."

When things were at full speed, it became a six-days-a-week, eight-hours-a-day job.

"My husband was so phenomenal in dealing with the shoes every day when they came in. We never had more than 250 pairs of shoes in the house at one time. As soon as they would come in, he'd start banding them and bagging them. We had to put a rubber band around each pair, and 25 pairs in each bag," Linda said.

While they're no longer taking in shoes — they plan to take another 100 pairs or so to a site in Eufaula, Alabama, April 20 — the couple has learned a lot about people during the drive.

They have had shoes come to them locally, through family members, through a relative on Facebook that Linda didn't even know she had, and people several states away.

"We thank (everybody) involved for making it possible for people they know to bless less fortunate people that they don't know," Linda said.

GET INVOLVED

Contact Jennie McKeon at 315-4434 or at jmckeon@nwfdailynews.com to nominate someone for this series, which celebrates individuals and organizations who make a difference in our communities.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 'It seemed to start slowly and then snowballed'

North Okaloosa County Faith Briefs

Written by archive on April 13, 2017. Posted in Faith, lifestyle.

CRESTVIEW — Upcoming events for North Okaloosa County’s faithful are as follows.

Kingdom Life sets women's ministry conference

CRESTVIEW — The Women Walking in Ministry quarterly conference will feature a theme celebrating all women.

The event begins 10 a.m. May 13 at the Kingdom Life Worship & Training Center, 798 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Crestview.

The guest speaker is the Rev. Nikki Mathis of The Summit Crestview church. The event also features The Summit Crestview worship leader, Stephanie Mills, Dance Minister Barbara Oxendine of the Eglin Air Force Base chapel, and Kindom Life's pastor, the Rev. Darlene Haynes-Scheuermann.

'Coming Home' dance performance set

CRESTVIEW — The Calling Dance Company will present a faith-based story centering on hope amid loss.

"Coming Home" is scheduled 6 p.m. May 13 at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center, Northwest Florida State College, 100 College Blvd., Niceville.

Tickets cost $15 in advance, $20 at the door, and are free for children age 4 and under. Purchase at www.TheCallingDanceCompany.org.

A portion of proceeds benefits Covenant Care's Camp Connect, a grief-counseling event for children.

Joy Fellowship presents flamingo fundraiser

CRESTVIEW — The Joy Fellowship Ministries Senior High Youth Group will have a "Flamingo Flocking" fundraiser through June 1 to raise money for its summer trip to North Carolina.

Suggested donations are as follows:

•Small flock of 10 large flamingos, $10

•Medium flock of 20, $20

•Large flock of 30, $30

•Super-size flock of 30 large and 18 small flamingos, $40

Potential donors may email their phone number to Joe Butryn, jbutryn@joyfellowship.net, who will send the paperwork to start the "flocking."

Contact Butryn for more details.

Donations sought for Laurel Hill food ministry

LAUREL HILL — Spearheaded by Magnolia Baptist Church, churches in this small North Okaloosa County community have launched an area-wide food ministry to assist local individuals or families in need.

Community members needing food for themselves or their families may contact the ministry at 826-3362 or theweeklys@yahoo.com.

Volunteers are sought to help package and deliver food donations, and organizers ask for prayers in support of the new ministry. Email the same address for more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: North Okaloosa County Faith Briefs

In 2,000 years, not much has changed

Written by archive on April 13, 2017. Posted in columns, lifestyle.

Editor's Note: This is the second of two columns discussing the last week of Jesus's life before his crucifixion.

On Sunday, the people declared Jesus to be their king. On Friday, Jesus lay dead in a tomb.

One day, the people were ecstatic Jesus came to Jerusalem and pledged their loyalty to him. But just a few days later, many of those same people who shouted “Hosanna!” were shouting, “Crucify him!”

That’s quite a drastic change. What happened?

The religious leaders felt threatened by the way Jesus’ knowledge and authority challenged their corrupt practices.

Factions looking for a military leader to physically fight Rome and free them from that oppression were disillusioned.

People who followed Jesus because it seemed to be the popular thing to do were easily swayed from their devotion.

Jesus didn’t fit the mold of who the people expected God’s Messiah to be. They were looking for someone to meet their interpretations, their expectations. Because he didn’t, because he challenged them to grow beyond their limited knowledge and understanding of what God desired of them, they had him crucified. He was killed, placed in a tomb, and left for dead.

In many ways, not much has changed in 2,000 years. Many people still expect Jesus to be the Messiah they want or demand him to be.

Many use him as an excuse to perpetuate violence against those whose beliefs don't resemble their own.

Many follow him half-heartedly, when it suits their schedule, when it is convenient, or when it doesn’t challenge them to question their own actions or motives.

Every time someone turns their back on Jesus, he is crucified all over again. Every time someone uses Jesus for their personal gain, he is crucified all over again. Every time someone corrupts his message, he is crucified all over again.

On Saturday, though, while the disciples mourned and the religious leaders gloated, God was still at work. The crucifixion and death of Jesus were not the end — they were just the beginning.

On Sunday, Jesus rose from the dead, proving once and for always that absolutely nothing can defeat the power and purpose of God. Absolutely nothing can thwart the message Jesus brought to this earth. Jesus rose from the dead and is still the savior of sinners today.

The good news is, Jesus is never defeated. He still overcomes our inadequacies, our fickleness, our misinterpretations, our misunderstandings. In love and grace, he takes our mistakes and helps turn them into a life lesson to improve who we are, and to help us better understand who he is.

Easter is a day of new life. It is proof that our living God, our living Savior will stop at nothing to win us into a life of faith, belief, and trust in Almighty God.

Sunday, as you celebrate our Lord’s resurrection, remember the role you played in his crucifixion, and remember why he allowed it to happen.

Then, remember what your great reward is.

Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed!

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: In 2,000 years, not much has changed

Easter is the culmination of Christianity

Written by archive on April 10, 2017. Posted in lifestyle.

What does Easter mean to you? How do you and your family celebrate? Do you have traditions that have been handed down for generations? Let's look at the real meaning of Easter.

Many of the crowd that had hailed Jesus as King just a few days before, turned against Him and they, along with the Pharisees, demanded that Jesus be crucified.

How many times have we gone against our better judgment in the heat of the moment and sided with the majority? Pontius Pilate finally gave in to their demands and sent Jesus off to Calvary to be crucified.

What the rulers didn't realize was that God had planned redemption for sin through the death of His Son. Jesus willingly offered Himself as the sacrifice for the sins of the world so we could be redeemed from sin and justified before God.

Do we look at the empty tomb and rejoice that the angel told the women, "He is risen, just as He said?" Or are we, like the disciples, confused? Jesus had told them of His death, burial and resurrection, but they really didn't understand until they physically saw Him after the resurrection. How do we react to this good news? Do we thank the Lord for His indescribable gift, the gift of new life, or do we reject Him?

Easter is the culmination of Christianity. Without Easter, Christmas would be meaningless. That perfect baby born in Bethlehem grew up to be the Savior of the world. Without Christ's death, burial and resurrection we would not have the forgiveness of our sins and eternal life with Christ Jesus when we accept Him as our Savior.

Have a glorious Easter as we celebrate the resurrection of Christ. He is risen!

Easter services

Easter sunrise services will be held in both Crestview and Laurel Hill. One is 6:30 a.m. April 16 at Old Spanish Trail Park, Stillwell Boulevard, Crestview. The Crestview Area Ministerial Association hosts that.

The other is 6 a.m., April 16 at Gene Clary Park, located on the corner of New Ebenezer Road and Park in Laurel Hill. Bring chairs and dress in warm clothing. If it is cold, bring blankets.

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: Easter is the culmination of Christianity

Church of God By Faith plans Friday service

Written by archive on April 10, 2017. Posted in Faith, lifestyle.

CRESTVIEW — The Church of God by Faith will have a service featuring the last seven sayings of Jesus from the cross.

Seven ministers will preach at the event, which is 7 p.m. April 14 at the church, 397 Bressler St., Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Church of God By Faith plans Friday service

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