CRESTVIEW — Upcoming meetings for North Okaloosa County clubs and organizations, and those from surrounding areas, are as follows.

EMBROIDERERS GUILD OF AMERICA: 1:30-4:30 p.m. March 26, Religious Education building, Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church, 1200 Valparaiso Blvd., Niceville. The Sand Dunes chapter celebrates various forms of hand embroidery. Details: 496-3466.

NORTHWEST FLORIDA STATE COLLEGE FILM CLUB: 6:30 p.m. March 27, Northwest Florida State College, 100 College Blvd., Niceville. In Building 110, Room 238 of the Mattie Kelly Arts Center. Attendees will screen, "The Empire Strikes Back," Episode 5 of the “Star Wars” series. Also: Voting on officers. Free to attend; refreshments provided.

MAC USERS GROUP: 6:30 p.m. April 3, room 130 of the Northwest Florida State College Student Services Center, 100 College Blvd., Niceville. Theme: "Back to the Basics and Beyond." Bring Mac devices. Details: FWBMug.com, or Jean Dutton, 862-3327 or jeancdutton@mac.com.

FAMILY LIBRARY TIME: 6:30-7:15 p.m. April 18, Crestview library, 1445 Commerce Drive. Registration for the Nonie's Ark visit is limited to first 30 children ages 4 and up.

CRESTVIEW KIWANIS CLUB: 11:45 a.m. Wednesdays, Samuel's Roadhouse, 114 John King Road, Crestview.

KNITTING GROUP: 5-7 p.m. Wednesdays, Casbah Coffee Company, 196 Pine Ave. W, Crestview.

SONS OF ITALY, CRESTVIEW CHAPTER 2865: 6 p.m. third Wednesdays, Foxwood Country Club, Antioch Road. All people of American-Italian heritage may join. Group president Thomas Hughes, 682-3597, thomasjhughessr@hotmail.com.

GRIEFSHARE SUPPORT GROUP: 10 a.m. Thursdays, Crosspoint, in portable 2, 2250 PJ Adams Parkway, Crestview. For people grieving the death of a loved one or other losses. 678-4411 extension 109.

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS: 10-11 a.m. Thursdays, 704 E. Robinson Ave., Crestview. 689-1842.

SENIORS VS. CRIME: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, except holidays, 296 S. Ferdon Blvd., Suite 8, Crestview. Call 306-3176 or email okaloosacountysvc@yahoo.com to report incidents.

CRESTVIEW AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MONTHLY BREAKFAST MEETING: 7 a.m. first Thursdays, Crestview Community Center, 1446 Commerce Drive, Crestview.

CRESTVIEW LIONS CLUB meets 5:15 p.m. every first and third Thursday at Samuel's Roadhouse off John King Road. Details: BJ Thomhave at Foxwood Country Club, 682-2012.

CONCERNED CITIZENS OF CRESTVIEW: 5:30 p.m. first Thursdays, Allen Park, 895 McClelland St., Crestview.

FLYING NEEDLES QUILT GUILD: 9:30 a.m. second Thursdays at Niceville Church of Christ. Visitors and quilters are welcome.

CRESTVIEW PHOTO CLUB: 6:30-8:30 p.m. first Thursdays, Northwest Florida State College Robert L.F. Sikes Education Center, room 306, 805 U.S. Highway 90 E., Crestview.

NORTH OKALOOSA AMATEUR RADIO CLUB: 7 p.m. second Thursdays, Live Oak Baptist Church, 4565 Live Oak Church Road, Crestview. Call 398-7524 for details.

MAINSTREET CRESTVIEW ASSOCIATION: 6 p.m. third Thursdays, City Hall, 502 Wilson St., Crestview. Group improves and promotes Main Street and Crestview Community Redevelopment Agency businesses.

CRESTVIEW EXCHANGE CLUB: fourth Thursdays, Covenant Hospice, Crestview. Sharlene Cox, 682-6824.

STEAK NIGHT: 6 p.m. first Fridays. American Legion Post 75, 898 E. James Lee Blvd., Crestview. Cost: $15 per person; includes T-bone steak, baked potato, salad, bread and dessert. 689-3195.

SATURDAYS

TEEN WII: 2-4 p.m. Fridays, Crestview library, 1445 Commerce Drive. Wii playing for students in sixth through 12th grades.

ADULT/FAMILY NIGHT: 6-9 p.m. Saturdays, Convergence Coffeehouse, 498 Wilson St. N. Visitors may enjoy free refreshments, play games, watch old movies, or just fellowship.

KARAOKE: 8 p.m. Saturdays, American Legion Post 75, 898 E. James Lee Blvd., Crestview. 689-3195.

READ TO DOZER: 10-11 a.m. first Saturdays, Crestview library, 1445 Commerce Drive. For children ages 4 and up.

BOBBIN LACE GROUP: 11 a.m. first Saturdays, Heritage Museum, 115 Westview Ave., Valparaiso. Anyone may attend to inquire about the craft. 678-2615.

GOLD WING ROAD RIDERS ASSOCIATION: 9 a.m. to eat and 10 a.m. meeting third Saturdays of the month, Ryan's restaurant, Crestview. Dwayne Hopkins, 217-1001. All motorcyclists are welcome.

VFW HORSESHOE TOURNAMENT: 12 p.m. third Saturdays, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5450, 2240 W. James Lee Blvd., Crestview. Lynn Mobley, 682-5552.

YOUTH NIGHT: 6-8:30 p.m. Mondays, Convergence Coffeehouse, 498 Wilson St. N. Visitors may enjoy free refreshments, play games, watch old movies, or fellowship.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: 8 p.m. Mondays, the clubhouse at 704 Robinson St., Crestview, for beginners and newcomers. Details: Jerry, 830-6218. www.fwb-area-aa.org.

DOGWOOD GARDEN CLUB: 10:30 a.m. first Mondays, September through May, location to be announced. Details: 683-0839.

COUNTRY PATCHERS QUILT GUILD: 9:30 a.m. second Mondays, Antioch Baptist Church, 4824 Antioch Road, Crestview. Yearly membership: $20.

FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS: 7 p.m. second and fourth Mondays, Mt. Ewell Lodge 131, U.S. Highway 198, Baker.

HELP OTHER PEOPLE EFFECTIVELY: 6 p.m. third Mondays at Community of Christ, Crestview.

COUNTRY PATCHERS QUILT GUILD: 9:30 a.m. fourth Mondays, Antioch Baptist Church, 4824 Antioch Road, Crestview. Sit-n-sew and workshop meeting.

THE OKALOOSA COUNTY COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN: fourth Mondays. info@occsw.org.

FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS: 7 p.m. second and fourth Mondays, Mt. Ewell Lodge 131, U.S. Highway 198, Baker.

TAKE OFF POUNDS SENSIBLY:

●8 a.m. Tuesdays, First United Methodist Church, 599 Eighth Ave., Crestview. Mary Cole, 683-1899.

●6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, First UMC fellowship hall, Crestview. Brooke Bratton, 225-8197. www.TOPS.org.

SENIORS VS. CRIME: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, except holidays, 296 S. Ferdon Blvd., Suite 8, Crestview. Call 306-3176 to report incidents. okaloosacountysvc@yahoo.com.

STORY TIME: 10:15 a.m. Tuesdays, Crestview Public Library, 1445 Commerce Drive. Children ages 3 to 5 can enjoy stories and activities, and make a simple craft.

CRESTVIEW KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS BINGO: Quarterly games 4:30-6 p.m.; regular games 6-9 p.m. every Tuesday at 701 James Lee Blvd., Crestview.

BAKER GARDEN CLUB: 10 a.m. first Tuesdays September through May at different locations. Liz Davis, 537-4512.

OSTOMY SUPPORT GROUP: 1 p.m. first Tuesdays, Wellness Center at Twin Cities Hospital, Niceville. A Registered Nurse is present, and meetings include details of specialty care and product innovations that may be helpful. Details: 389-7071.

CARVER-HILL MEMORIAL AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY: 5:30 p.m. first Tuesdays, Allen Park, 895 McClelland St., Crestview.

OPEN MIC POETRY AT THE LIBRARY: 6 p.m. second Tuesdays, Crestview Public Library, 1445 Commerce Drive, Crestview. Free event. Esther Hurwitz, 682-4432 or ehurwitz@okaloosa.lib.fl.us; Rick Sanders, 585-6399. Read poetry or play music. http://cvwlibrary.tumblr.com/.

SHOAL RIVER REPUBLICAN CLUB: 6 p.m. second Tuesdays of each month at Hideaway Pizza in downtown Crestview.

CRESTVIEW TOASTMASTERS: 6-7 p.m. second and fourth Tuesdays, Greater Federation of Women's Club building, 150 Woodlawn Drive, Crestview. Visitors are welcome. Details: Kathy Morrow, 974-3662.

AMERICAN LEGION POST 395: 5:30 p.m. third Tuesdays, Carver-Hill Museum, 895 S. McClelland St., Crestview. Cmdr. Raymond Nelson, 420-0706.

NORTH OKALOOSA PATRIOTS: 6:30 p.m. third Tuesdays, 150 N. Woodlawn Blvd., Crestview. www.panhandlepatriots.com.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa County clubs and organizations calendar

UPCOMING

EMERALD COAST CHRISTIAN WRITERS RETREAT & CONFERENCE: 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. March 22-24 and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 25, Blue Lake Camp, Andalusia, Alabama. Classes, workshops, paid critiques, worship and inspiration presented by professional Christian authors. Registration ranges from $75 to $475. Meal packages also available. http://bluelakecwr.com/ or call 225-2466.

GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF OKALOOSA COUNTY:  10:30 a.m. March 25, Fort Walton Beach Library, 207 Florida Pl SE. Bert Outlaw presentation, "Land Records 101."  Free. Val Moreland, 243-0352.

REPUBLICAN PARTY LINCOLN DINNER: Cocktails at 6 p.m. March 25, 1500 Miracle Strip Pkwy SE, Fort Walton Beach. Dinner is 7 p.m. Featured speaker: former governor Mike Huckabee. Entertainment by The Mulligans. Dinner tickets, $100; nonrefundable. Call 240-1279 to purchase. Limited seating.

DICTIONARY FUNDRAISER: 6 p.m. March 29, Sons & Daughters of Italy Lodge, 808 South Drive, Fort Walton Beach. A Republican Women of Okaloosa Federated event with bunco, dinner and an auction to support its Dictionary Project, which provides dictionaries to Okaloosa third-graders. Dinner of baked chicken alfredo penne, tossed salad and Italian bread. Tickets: $20. Call Hulda Mahlum, 217, 5775, to purchase.

THROWDOWN BENEFIT AUCTION & BBQ: March 30 through April 1, Churchill Oaks Clubhouse, Santa Rosa Beach. Features renown chefs, including Emeril Lagasse and Chris Wilson, "world-class vintners, pitmasters and … musical entertainment by Silverado Pickups and live and silent auctions,” a media release states. Annual charity events, Wine Walkabout, Sip N Shop and Golf Tournament, kick off festivities on Thursday, March 30 and Friday, March 31, benefitting Alaqua Animal Refuge and the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center. Tickets to individual charity events can be purchased separately. All funds raised benefit charities along the Gulf Coast, with most proceeds given to local organizations. Tickets and details: www.chichimiguel.com.

FRIENDS OF THE CRESTVIEW LIBRARY BOOK SALE: 5-8 p.m. March 31 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 1, Warriors Hall, 201 Stillwell Blvd., Crestview. The March 31 early-bird sale costs $2 for non-Friends members’ admittance.

PHOTOGRAPHY AND DIGITAL ARTS EXHIBIT RECEPTION: 6-8 p.m. April 7, Arts and Design Society, Art Center Gallery, 17 First Street, SE, Fort Walton Beach. The exhibition is on display free of charge from noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 1-4 p.m. Saturdays April 4-28 at the gallery. www.artsdesignsociety.org, or 244-1271 during gallery hours.

JOSE DIAZ PERFORMANCE CANCELED: A Jose Diaz performance at the Crestview library, set for 6-7:30 p.m. April 10, is canceled. Artists who would like to perform on second Mondays at the library may call 682-4432.

REGIONAL SEDER: 6 p.m. April 10, Emerald Coast Convention Center,1250 Miracle Strip Parkway SE, Fort Walton Beach. Cost for the Passover meal, music, worship and celebration is $40 per person. Features recording artist Paul Wilbur and host Hosanna House of Destin. Details: 837-7430 or admin@hosannahouse.net.

‘NWF READS’ FEATURES FICTION WRITOR: 7 p.m. April 17, Northwest Florida State College Sprint Theater, 100 College Blvd., Niceville. Annual literacy celebration with fiction writer and memoirist Andre Dubus. Free, with first-come, first-served seating Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Followed by Blackwater Review reception, 6-6:45 p.m., in the adjoining McIlroy Gallery. Beverly Holmes, 729-6032 or holmesb@nwfsc.edu.

YOUTH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 22 at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast Youth Center, 923 Denton Blvd., Fort Walton Beach. Seventh- through 12th-graders may attend. $10 per person; includes a light lunch and conference materials. Scholarships available for students from low-income families. Theme: “Lead, Empower, Act, Discover!” Includes a hands-on, real-life simulation. Details: David Triana, 368-3505, united4agoodcause@gmail.com, or Dawn Novy, 344-7721, dnovy@bgcec.com.

ARC SUMMER CAMP DONATIONS: Arc of the Emerald Coast seeks donations of funding, water, juice, paper products and carnival toy items for an April 25-28 summer camp trip for Arc clients. Contact Arc at 863-1530 or info@arcemeraldcoast.org for details.

PINE NEEDLE BASKETRY CLASSES: 5-8 p.m. May 16 and May 23, Heritage Museum, 115 Westview Ave., Valparaiso. Learn Seminole techniques. $55 to $60 per person. 678-2615.

CRESTVIEW HIGH CLASS OF 1977’S 40-YEAR CLASS REUNION: 6 p.m. July 15, Warriors Hall in Crestview. “We are searching for classmates that we have lost contact with,” an event organizer said. “If you haven't already received information about the reunion, please contact Sharry at krustin@cox.net." Tickets must be purchased in advance due to the caterer needing to prepare for the correct number of attendees.

TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL: 2 p.m. March 23,Emerald Coast Convention Center, 1250 Miracle Strip Pkwy SE, Fort Walton Beach.

OKALOOSA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WORKSHOP RESCHEDULED: The March 28 workshop has been rescheduled to 1:30 p.m. March 29 at the Okaloosa County Administration Building, 1250 N. Eglin Parkway, Shalimar. Two or more Tourist Development Council members may attend the meeting to discuss functions of the Tourist Development Department and possible privatization of its marketing activities.

Other workshops are April 25, May 30 and June 27 at the same location.

OKALOOSA COUNTY COMMISSION:

• 8:30 a.m. April 4, Crestview City Hall, 198 N. Wilson St., Crestview.
• 8:30 a.m. April 18, Okaloosa County Administration Building, 1250 N. Eglin Parkway, Shalimar.
• 8:30 a.m. May 2, Crestview City Hall, 198 N. Wilson St., Crestview.
• 8:30 a.m. May 16, Okaloosa County Administration Building, 1250 N. Eglin Parkway, Shalimar.
• 8:30 a.m. June 6, Crestview City Hall, 198 N. Wilson St., Crestview.
• 8:30 a.m. June 20, Okaloosa County Administration Building, 1250 N. Eglin Parkway, Shalimar.

BLACKMAN FIRE DISTRICT BOARD: 7 p.m. first Mondays, 1850 U.S. Highway 2, Baker.

CRESTVIEW CITY COUNCIL: 6 p.m. second and fourth Mondays, City Hall, 198 N. Wilson St., Crestview.

CRESTVIEW HOUSING AUTHORITY BOARD: 5:15 p.m. third Mondays, 371 Hickory Ave. W, Crestview. Open to the public.

CRESTVIEW CITY COUNCIL: 6 p.m. second and fourth Mondays, City Hall, 198 N. Wilson St., Crestview.

MILLIGAN WATER SYSTEM BOARD: 6 p.m. second Tuesdays, 5340 U.S. Highway 4.

LAUREL HILL CITY COUNCIL: 6 p.m. first Thursdays, City Hall.

BAKER FIRE DISTRICT COMMISSION: 7 p.m. first Thursdays, Baker Area Public Safety Building.

DORCAS FIRE DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS: 7 p.m. first Thursdays, 5232 Deer Springs Drive, Crestview, off Highway 90.

HOLT FIRE DEPARTMENT: 7 p.m. second and fourth Thursdays, fire station, 490 W. U.S. Highway 90, Holt.

ALMARANTE VOLUNTEER FIRE DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS: 7 p.m. second Thursdays, Almarante Fire Station, 3710 Old California Road, Laurel Hill.

OKALOOSA-WALTON TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATION: 3 p.m. third Thursdays, various locations. Call 1-800-226-8914 ext. 231 to confirm.

NORTH OKALOOSA FIRE DISTRICT: 6 p.m. third Thursdays, fire station 82, 5549 John Givens Road, Crestview.

HOLT FIRE DISTRICT COMMISSION: 6:30 p.m. third Thursdays, 490 W. U.S. Highway 90.

HOLT FIRE DEPARTMENT: 7 p.m. second and fourth Thursdays, fire station.

LAUREL HILL VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: 7 p.m., second Fridays, in Laurel Hill City Hall's fire department office.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: What’s Happening in North Okaloosa County

Spring is in the air, even if it's not quite there on the calendar. This year, as you shake off the cobwebs from winter and start tidying up around your home and yard, why not also do some financial spring cleaning?

Actually, you can apply several traditional spring cleaning techniques to your financial situation.

Here are a few ideas:

•Look for damage. Damage to your home's siding, shingles and foundation can eventually degrade the structure of your home. Your investment portfolio is also a structure of a sort, and it, too, can be damaged. Specifically, you may have deliberately constructed your portfolio with an investment mix – stocks, fixed-income vehicles, cash instruments, etc. – that's appropriate for your goals and risk tolerance. But over time, your portfolio can evolve in unexpected ways. For example, your stocks may have grown so much in value that they now take up a larger percentage of your holdings than you had intended, possibly subjecting you to a higher degree of risk. If this happens, you may need to rebalance your portfolio.

•Get rid of "clutter." As you look around your home, do you see three mops or four nonfunctional televisions or a stack of magazines from the 1990s? If these items no longer have value, you could get rid of them and clear up some living space. As an investor, you also might have "clutter" – in the form of investments that no longer meet your needs. If you sold these investments, you could use the proceeds to fill gaps in your portfolio.

•Consolidate. Do you keep your lawnmower in a shed, a rake in your garage, and your gardening tools in the basement? When working on your outdoor tasks, you might find it more efficient to have all these items in one location. You could also have your investments scattered about – an IRA here, a new 401(k) there, and an older 401(k) someplace else. But if you consolidated all your investments in one place, you might cut down on paperwork and fees, and you wouldn't risk losing track of an asset (which actually happens more than you might think). Even more importantly, when you have all your investments with one provider, you'll be better positioned to follow a single, centralized investment strategy.

•Prepare for a rainy day. As part of your outdoor spring cleaning, you may want to look at your gutters and downspouts to make sure they are clear and in good repair so that they can move rainwater away from your home. Your financial goals need protection, too, so you'll want to ensure you have adequate life and disability insurance.

•Seal leaks. In your home inspection this spring, you may want to investigate doors and windows for leaks and drafts. Your investment portfolio might have some "leaks" also. Are investment-related taxes siphoning off more of your earnings than you realize? A financial professional can offer you recommendations for appropriate tax-advantaged investments.

This spring, when you're cleaning your physical surroundings, take some time to also tidy up your financial environment.

You may be pleased with the results.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Time for financial spring cleaning

Library Journal has just published its "Best Free Reference Websites and Apps" list for 2017.

Check these out:

•American Archive of Public Broadcasting — americanarchive.org. This collaboration between the Library of Congress and WGBH in Boston aims "to preserve for posterity the most significant public television and radio programs of the past 60 years." Both audio and video from around the country are archived and searchable with more than 17,000 clips.

•C-SPAN Video Library — https://www.c-span.org/about/videoLibrary/. More than 228,000 hours of video (just about everything that has ever aired on C-SPAN), updated on a daily basis. Historical content includes debates, speeches and rallies. Users can create custom video clips to save and share.

•Global Stat — globalstat.eu. From the European University Institute, this database compiles publicly available data from over 100 sources, offering statistical information on globalization, sustainability and human development. Users can search on a range of topics including income distribution, energy consumption, water resources, dwellings, migration, land use, food production, nutrition, school enrollment and life expectancy, and create data visualizations.

•GovTrack — govtrack.us. Allows users to search for and track legislation being debated in the U.S. Congress. Users can set up alerts for particular bills and pieces of legislation as well as follow individual Congress members' work on bills and resolutions, voting records and committee work.

•Wayback Machine Archive Feature — archive.org/web. If you've never played with the Internet Archive Wayback Machine, it is fun! There's a feature worth highlighting: Save Page Now, which lets users archive most web pages and PDFs instantly on demand.  A simple copy and paste guarantees that the web page you saw today will be available even if it's changed or deleted later.

•IFTTT (If This Then That) ifttt.com. A nifty and highly customizable tool that can be employed without having any computer coding skills to mesh two online or digital services. For example, users can set up an RSS feed to deliver inbox alerts, automatically backup all tweets to a Google doc, or program your phone's GPS to open your garage door. The possibilities are nearly endless.

•PhotoMath — photomath.net. An app for iOS and Android, it instantly solves any arithmetic or algebra problem at which the phone's camera is pointed, showing the steps to achieve that result.

•Camel Camel Camel — camelcamelcamel.com. A price tracker tool that provides price drop alerts and price history charts for any product sold via Amazon. Users can set up a simple alert to receive notifications anytime an item price falls. There is also visual and textual price history information for every item in the Amazon database. Great for business research, but I can see other wonderful shopping possibilities!

Go to http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/2017/03/best-of/best-free-reference-websites-apps/ to read the entire list.

Sandra Dreaden is the Crestview Public Library reference librarian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 8 of the year's best free references

Here are upcoming Crestview Public Library-related events. The library's address is 1445 Commerce Drive.

JOSE DIAZ PERFORMANCES CANCELED: The Jose Diaz performance at the Crestview library, set for 6-7:30 p.m. April 10, has been canceled. Artists who would like to perform on second Mondays at the library may call 682-4432.

AGES 0-2 LIBRARY CLASS: 10:15 a.m. Thursdays and 9:15 a.m. Fridays, Crestview library. Limited to 30 children per class. Topics are: March 23-24 and 30-31, Animal Sounds; April 6-7 and 13, Spring and Easter; April 20-21 and 27, Wildlife; and May 4-5 and 11-12, Praiseworthy Parents.

AGES 3-5 LIBRARY CLASS: 10:15 a.m. Tuesdays, Crestview library. Topics are: March 28, Flying High; April 4 and 11, Easter; April 25, Environmental Center Field Trip; and May 2 and 9, Praiseworthy Parents.

FRIENDS OF THE CRESTVIEW LIBRARY BOOK SALE: 5-8 p.m. March 31 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 1, Warriors Hall, 201 Stillwell Blvd., Crestview. The March 31 early bird sale costs $2 for non-Friends members to attend. 

FIRST TUESDAY TALK: 10 a.m. April 4, Crestview Public Library. Speaker Larry Williams of the Okaloosa County Extension office in Crestview will discuss lawn care in Northwest Florida. 

FREE TAX PREPARATION AND FILING: by appointment 2-6 p.m. Mondays through April 18, and first come, first served 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays through April 18.

FAMILY LIBRARY TIME: Events for ages 4 and up at the Crestview library include:

●6:30-7:15 p.m. April 18: Nonie's Ark visit. Registration limited to first 30 children; ages 4 and up only

READ TO DOZER: First Saturdays, 10-11 a.m.; for children ages 4 and up.

COFFEE & CRAFT: 10 a.m. second Saturdays, Crestview library. Call 682-4432 to reserve your spot.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview Public Library events

CRESTVIEW — Velma Conyers has reached a milestone that few people do: turning age 104.

She’s still going strong too, according to her daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Malcolm Haynes of Crestview.

"Up until two years ago, she lived by herself," Conyers' daughter said. "She loves her independence."

What’s a typical routine?

Well, Conyers tends to get up early, anywhere from 5-8 a.m.; dresses herself with little assistance; drinks a cup of black coffee with her breakfast; and goes about her day.

The centenarian enjoys working word puzzles, and spending time with family and friends. She still goes to Bible study and attends church almost every Sunday.

In fact, she does so well, health-wise, that in-home medical services aren't currently necessary, her daughter said.

The couple describes Conyers as a feisty, funny woman. "She makes you laugh — just her wit," Mary said. "She's still mentally very sharp."

What’s the secret to a long life? Conyers said:

•"You have to just be yourself and don't be doing all kind of things. Just take it easy."

•"Treat people like you want to be treated. (Life is) kind of rough nowadays, so you be nice. Have the love that you can help people and be nice yourself, and pray and ask the Lord to be with you and help you. If you do, you'll make it."

•"Ask the Lord to help you go through whatever you got to go through."

ABOUT CONYERS' LIFE

Charlie and Hattie G. Jones, Conyers' parents, moved to Crestview when Velma was 8 years old. They'd previously lived in Deerland, near Dorcas. She survived her parents, her oldest brother, Willie, and youngest brother, Albert.

She married James Robert Lee Conyers on March 31, 1929. The couple served as active members of the Crestview Masonic Lodge, in his case, and Order of the Eastern Star, in hers. The Masonic Lodge now bears his name, and the Order's name is now the Velma K. Conyers Chapter 7 Order of the Eastern Star.

She was Worthy Matron of the order for 45 years; her husband, who died in 1986, achieved a "final degree in Masonry Knights Templar … Because of his many contributions to Prince Hall Affiliated Masonry and the community, he received the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humanity from Edward Waters College, Jacksonville, Florida," an Order of the Eastern Star document states.

Velma Conyers also received recognition for the support she provided to local African-American residents through the years.

"People stop by to (see her and) just thank her for how she has been a beacon in the community," Malcolm Haynes said. "At one time she worked in the lunchroom at the high school of Carver-Hill, and many people tell us if she hadn't been there, they wouldn't have eaten that day. She would see that they got fed if they couldn't afford it."

The couple's five children are Bobbie, James, Charlie, Mary and Freddie Conyers. They have 15 grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren.

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

The family and the JRL Conyers Masonic Lodge 364 will observe Velma Conyers’ birthday at noon March 18 at the lodge, located at 550 McDonald St., Crestview.

While her family considers her a blessing, they're not the only ones.

Visitors literally express their thanks for Mrs. Conyers and what she has done for residents in the African-American community in Crestview through the years.

Her daughter also mentioned that she headed and served as hostess when they had the USO in Crestview for the African-American community.

However, one of the best things about Conyers is how she is an example for her children and grandchildren for how to live; focusing on others before herself, according to her son-in-law.

"She's pretty much an inspiration to the family," Malcolm Haynes said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Woman turns 104, share's life's secrets

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation has scheduled its second annual Rubber Duck Race.

It starts at 11 a.m. April 22 adjacent to the Crestview Public Library, 1445 Commerce Drive.

The cost is $5 for one duck, $10 for three, and $20 for seven. 

Prizes are $100 for third through 10th place, $250 for second place, and $500 for first place.

Event sponsors are Emerald Coast Aviation, the Paul Hsu Foundation, Bob and Peggy Hollingshead, the Friends of the Crestview Library, Publix, Okaloosa Gas, Hothead Burritos, Dr. Richard Thomas, Cal Zethmayr — WAAZ, and Eglin Federal Credit Union.

Email foundationduck@gmail.com or www.crestviewchamberfoundation.com for more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview chamber foundation sets duck race

CRESTVIEW — European Union nations and communities annually celebrate their respective heritages during the Journey of Patrimony weekend.

This year, Okaloosa County residents will be there during the Crestview Area Sister City Program’s “A Journey Into Noirmoutier’s Heritage” trip.

Membership in Crestview’s Sister City program is open to anyone, and any dues-paying member can attend the Sept. 7-19 trip.

Details and itineraries are being finalized, but participants can anticipate:

•Hospitality: A fundamental of a Sister City relationship is the “people-to-people” relationship. Hence, participants never stay in hotels.

“We are welcomed into a Noirmoutrin home as part of the family,” Sister City program treasurer Pam Coffield said. “That means everybody’s experience is a little different.”

•Gastronomy: Visiting a nation world-renowned for its cuisine, the Crestview contingent will dine in style. Food-centric events include a beach “pique-nique” and a gala including local entertainment.

•Exploration: Participants will discover beaches; shady forests; winding old streets; a towering château (castle); St. Philbert’s church, which was begun in the ninth century; villages; sea salt production marshes; the market; and monolithic World War II bunkers.

•Heritage: The Sept. 15-17 Patrimony Weekend features visits to historic sites, including the château and its museum, historic homes and other venues. Re-enactors will recreate traditions, crafts and historic events.

•World War II re-enactment: Members of the Atlantic Wall Memory World War II re-enactment and vehicles club will display and demonstrate restored weapons, vehicles and equipment, including an American searchlight refurbished partially through support from Crestview donors.

Participants travel to Nantes on their own and rendezvous in Nantes. For the next 10 days, expenses are minimal — limited to souvenirs and a few meals. An optional Puy du Fou experience is $320; a Chateaux of the Loire trip is $350.

To join, reserve your spot or for more information, including the trip’s full cost, contact President Brian Hughes, brian_abroad@yahoo.com or 603-2584, or Treasurer Pam and Joe Coffield, jcoffield@cox.net or 682-8437.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview residents plan trip to French Sister City

Back when I was in college, a “rager” was a wild party. Now the only “ragers” college kids have is when a speaker they disagree with comes to campus. They manufacture rage, all at the expense of the First Amendment.

With such rage on its campus, a $70,000-per-year Middlebury College degree just went down in value — again.

The "Cliffs Notes" version of the latest college “snowflake” movement happened at leafy Middlebury College in Vermont. Well-respected author and academic Charles Murray was set to speak. The kids wanted no part of him, and a spineless administration would not take a stand for free speech.

The rage was so bad, the mob assaulted a faculty member who was escorting Murray on campus; she had to be hospitalized.

To celebrate their accomplishment, I suppose the students then went into the campus quad and played hacky sack (with helmets, for safety) because it just felt right.

I never trust a college that doesn't have a real football team.

The First Amendment has died a slow death on college campuses, strangled over time by their left-wing bureaucracies. If our founders were around today, (after visiting the Times Square theater district to catch the musical "Hamilton") they would be appalled by what happened at Middlebury College.

Colleges, which I have long said have priced themselves out as a value proposition for many, are the front lines of the war on free speech. College professors were supposedly tenured to protect their speech and ideas that might be controversial, but they are the ones who, hypocritically, are diminishing our First Amendment for others.

Parents, students and employers must continue to ask themselves if taking on so much student loan debt for such lame "educations" is smart or dumb. Sadly, the middle class is hurt most by such prohibitive costs.

The left, represented by their perpetually enraged leaders, including Elizabeth Warren, owns the education system. Warren got a job at Harvard by pretending to be Native American. She made $429,981 per year and taught one class — and then somehow blamed others for the high cost of college.

Campuses were supposed to be places where ideas were debated. Today they are places where opposition speech is labeled "hate" and shut down. Many college campuses cannot stand the idea of free speech unless it is speech they agree with; if they do not like what is said, they seek to silence the speaker.

The sad fact is that, in a recent poll, 41 percent of millennials said there should be limitations to free speech if they view it as “hateful” or might offend someone.

Hey snowflakes, that is what free speech is: speech we don’t agree with. How badly has the education system failed us that 41 percent of these kids do not understand that?

College kids are so Bernie Sanders liberal today. Forty-one percent of them don’t believe in free speech and the other 59 percent believe the federal government should pay for it.

This weak, millennial generation grew up receiving participation trophies, expecting us to applaud and positively reinforce what little they do.

Jugglers, street mimes and community theater actors need applause — real leaders don't. I cannot imagine General Patton or General Eisenhower putting up with this. I just hope this generation does not have to go to war.

There is a self-absorbed oddity to this millennial generation. I always wonder why millennials want to take selfies or videotape everything they do, even sex. I'm just the opposite. When I am done with sex, my only solace is, "Well, at least no one had to see that."

Russia is taking over other countries, ISIS is marauding and killing, we have an unsustainable $20 trillion in debt, and we spend our time fretting over PC silliness. We may look weak and feckless as a world power these days, but we are still the world's undisputed superpower when it comes to televised singing and dancing contests.

Even Yale’s Calhoun College has been embroiled in a PC-led name-change battle because Sen. John C. Calhoun owned slaves around 1800. Shocker! 

I’d suggest they change the name to Trump University; that name became available recently.

Bet they won’t.

Ron Hart, a libertarian and award-winning author, is a frequent guest on CNN. Contact him at Ron@RonaldHart.com or @RonaldHart on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Liberal colleges continue to embarrass

Editor’s Note: This continues our Celebrate Community series on North Okaloosa County nonprofits that enhance our quality of life.

CRESTVIEW—Evacuating to an emergency shelter can be a stressful and confusing time. For those with special needs those feelings can be compounded.

The Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County, with assistance from the volunteer-based Okaloosa-Walton Medical Reserve Corps, comes to the aid of those with special needs in times of evacuation.

“This isn’t a ‘plan A’ location for people but it’s an option,” Assistant Director of the DOH-Okaloosa Carrie Ziegler said.

That location is Davidson Middle School, which within a matter of hours can transform into a refuge for people requiring concentrated oxygen, electronic-based life support equipment, or other low-need medical care.

The school gymnasium already functions as a general population shelter for people seeking a place to stay during times of inclement weather, but a separate wing of the school converts to a hospital-like environment.

Ziegler stresses that the facility doesn’t have the resources or staff of an actual hospital, so individuals with more “serious conditions” are encouraged to consult those fully-functioning medical facilities.

What the special needs shelter can provide is more specialized care than that found in a general evacuation shelter.

Shelter seekers check into the location’s triage and have needs assessed by the medical volunteers and staff before being placed into one of several classrooms. The rooms are void of traditional student desks and replaced with large, green sleeping cots. Each room holds nine cots.

Different rooms service different needs such as oxygen machines or fans. Individuals in need of a caretaker or medications must supply their own, given the shelter’s limited resources.

The capacity is approximately 87, according to a representative for the shelter. Volunteers and staff work in several shifts based on the nature of the emergency and altogether about 70 workers of both medical and non-medical backgrounds run the operation.

The special needs shelter hasn’t opened since Hurricane Ivan in 2004, and that’s why volunteers and staff conducted a practice exercise Monday. The school’s spring break allowed the various departments to clear needed classrooms and run mock emergency scenarios.

The exercises included patient actors who were given prompt cards to help volunteers address a range of scenarios.

The practices allow volunteers and staff to gain insight to how the shelter should function and to address questions or concerns that might not be written into policy.

One such debate occurred over a “patient” who was admitted to the shelter with a dog. Service animals are permitted but generally, an individual can’t bring their pet. However, this sparked questions from attendees such as what to do if a patient refuses to be separated from their pet or if current weather conditions prevent them from leaving.

“We have evaluators that are a part of the sessions and not only do they take notes on performance but also note questions such as that,” Ziegler said. “The questions are reviewed by staff and used to make our process better.”

A full exercise like Monday’s takes place about every other year, according to DOH-Okaloosa Public Information Officer Ryan Mims.

“I’d say about 90 percent of our staff has been recycled since the last time we had to open,” Mims said.

The logistics of running a full-scale exercise are cumbersome and thus, smaller exercises and training are conducted throughout the year, according to Mims.

The Reserve Corps and DOH-Okaloosa advise individuals to pre-register for the special needs shelter to ensure adequate resources and care if an emergency occurred. Registration is active for a full year but does not guarantee the shelter can accommodate a person’s needs. The number of currently registered individuals was not immediately available.

Visit www.snr.floridadisaster.org/ to register for the shelter. Call 833-9240 for any questions concerning the shelter or to become a member of the Medical Reserve Corps.

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story stated the Medical Reserve Corps were the lead in the shelter operation. This information has been corrected to the reflect the DOH-Okaloosa as the operation's lead.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: PROVIDING PLAN B