It’s the time of year when giving to others is a common tradition. Unfortunately, there are those who would like to take advantage of other’s good deeds.

While making donations to charities and organizations this year, please also take care to guard and protect your personal information.

Scammers, people who prey on others, are currently calling homes to request donations, which are really being used to fatten their own wallets. 

How can you determine what is legitimate and what is a scam? Here are some signs to look out for:

1. Most legitimate organizations don’t usually call for donations over the phone

2. A solicitor calling you should never request bank account information or any other personal information from you; don’t give it to them

3. Scammers don’t like to give you time to think about your decision

4. Scammers may even try to pressure you or scare you into giving to them

Don’t let scammers frustrate you this year and prevent you from giving. There are a lot of great organizations out there that could use your time, talent or dollars.

To make donating safer this year, research the organization by either visiting in-person, or their website. To check the validity of an organization, you can either call the Better Business Bureau or use their website, www.bbb.org, to see if there have been any concerns or complaints lodged about that organization.

Remember, 'tis the season to be generous and wise.

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: Don't fall victim to holiday scammers

CRESTVIEW — The Wingmen Motorcycle Club this fall raised $1,700 to help area residents and an organization.

The group presented funds from its motorcycle runs to the American Cancer Society and a Crestview family, Jenny and Ed McDougald and their four children.

An Oct. 27 fire claimed the McDougalds' home. No one was home when the fire occurred, but the home is considered a complete loss. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Wingmen raise funds for family, cancer research

“Well, my friends are gone and my hair is gray

I ache in the places where I used to play

And I'm crazy for love but I'm not coming on

I'm just paying my rent every day in the Tower of Song”

 — from Leonard Cohen’s “Tower of Song”

This year the world has lost many musicians who have blessed us with their lyrics and melodies. The library has a growing music collection where you can discover or remember some of these great artists and their works. Check out our music CDs or browse our DVD concert collection.

These are just a handful of those who have joined Cohen in his Tower of Song:

•Prince — "Ultimate"

•David Bowie — "Heroes"

•Merle Haggard — "Greatest Hits Volume 1"

•Leonard Cohen — "You Want it Darker"

•Phife Dawg (A Tribe Called Quest) — "Low End Theory"

•Glenn Fry (The Eagles) — "Hell Freezes Over"

Marie Heath is the Crestview Public Library's director.

Here are upcoming events at the Crestview Public Library, 1445 Commerce Drive:

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: Jan. 5, 12 and 13, Color; Jan. 19-20, Bedtime (wear pajamas); Feb. 2-3 and 9-10, Baby Love; Feb. 16-17, and 23-24, Birthdays; March 2-3 and 9-10, Chicks & Ducklings; March 16-17, Growing & Gardening; March 23-24 and 30-31, Animal Sounds; April 6-7, and 13, Spring and Easter; April 20-21 and 27, Wildlife; May 4-5 and 11-12, Praiseworthy Parents.

AGES 3-5 LIBRARY CLASS: 10:15 a.m. Tuesdays, Crestview library. Topics are: Jan. 10 and 17, Reach for Peace; Jan. 24 and 31, Clothing; Feb. 7, Eye Care; Feb. 14, Valentines; Feb. 28, African Tales; March 7, Farm to Table; March 14, In Our Garden; March 28, Flying High; April 4 and 11, Easter; April 25, Environmental Center Field Trip; May 2 and 9; Praiseworthy Parents.

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

●6:30-7:15 p.m. Jan. 26, Crestview library. Bear Hunt for ages 4 and up. Wear pajamas and bring a teddy bear, flashlight, and six cookies to share. Limited to first 30 children; registration recommended.

●6:30-7:15 p.m. Feb. 21, Pelican Pickers music for the young and young at heart.

●6:30-7:15 p.m. March 21, Beekeeping with Bundrick Honey Farms.

●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.

Upcoming

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: MARIE HEATH: Remembering iconic musicians lost this year

CRESTVIEW — A beginner's sewing camp for 8- to 18-year-olds is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 3 at 3098 Airport Road, Crestview.

The University of Florida Extension Office in Crestview will host the camp for 10 participants. Attendees will learn to use a sewing machine and make a pillow.

The cost is $25 per person and includes use of a sewing machine, all materials and lunch. Preregistration is required by Dec. 30.

Contact 4-H Youth Development agent Misty Smith, 689-5850, for more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Limited seats available for youth sewing camp

CRESTVIEW — The Okaloosa County Clerk’s Office annually celebrates the season of giving by holding a food drive throughout November.

The North vs. South Food Drive challenged employees to see which location, Crestview or Fort Walton Beach, could donate the most food for a trophy.

This year, the offices collected over 400 food items to donate. The South, or Fort Walton Beach office, donated 188 items; the North donated 239 items.

Okaloosa County Clerk of Courts and Comptroller JD Peacock II delivered the donations to Sharing and Caring of Crestview on Dec. 5. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview team wins Okaloosa County Clerk food drive

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 3 things to do this week in Northwest Florida

Editor’s Note: This continues our Celebrate Community series on North Okaloosa County nonprofit organizations improving our quality of life.

CRESTVIEW — The North Okaloosa Historical Association Inc., is a nonprofit organization focused on preserving Northwest Florida and its residents’ history and accomplishments.

One of its most visible accomplishments is the creation of the Baker Block Museum, located at 1307 Georgia Ave., Baker.

Founded by Jeanette Henderson and her husband, the late Charles Henderson, the museum includes newspaper archives and a mercantile where visitors can purchase foods and merchandise.

The museum also houses several documents useful to genealogy enthusiasts. They include several cemetery books, obituaries and Native American and family name files.

The association also sells books and calendars based on North Okaloosa history and photos.

While proceeds support the museum, people can help others ways, too.

"They can help obviously through monetary donations and volunteering their time,” association member Tracy Curenton said.

She said area residents who have articles such as “old photographs and stuff they'd like to donate to the museum and have preserved for other people to see, we'd be interested in talking to them about that.”

Contact the museum, 537-5714, Tuesday though Friday to learn more about the association or become a member.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Preserving North Okaloosa history — one photo at a time

We’re going on a bear hunt in the Crestview Public Library on Jan. 26!

In addition to the bear hunt, we will read some stories and treat our bears to a Teddy Bear Tea. Someone in your party must be ages 3-14. Registration is recommended. Please call 682-4432 or come in to register.

Once you’ve secured your reservation, be here by 6:30 p.m. in your modest pajamas. Bring your teddy bear, flashlight and six cookies to share. (It would help if the cookies are individually wrapped). We should be done hunting by 7:15 p.m.

We’d like to thank our Friends of the Crestview Library for helping to make this Family Library Time free for you!

Heather Nitzel is the Youth Services librarian at the Crestview Public Library.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Bear hunt, tea at library

CRESTVIEW — Winners of the Main Street Crestview Association’s Christmas Parade are as follows:

• First Place, Business: Hub City Glass
• First Place, Church: The Summit Church
• First Place, Civic Youth: Troop 30
• Second Place, Business: Assurance Realty
• Second Place, Church: Knights of Columbus
• Second Place, Civic Youth: Bob Sikes Elementary School’s Rockin’ Robots

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Main Street Crestview announces Christmas Parade winners

CRESTVIEW — American Legion Post 75 is hosting a 30 Guns in 30 Days giveaway. The group will sell 1,000 tickets, and proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the post's local charities.

Tickets cost $30 per person, and the buyer's ticket numbers will be entered in each drawing from March 2-31. Winning numbers come from the Florida Lottery's Pick Three mid-day drawing.

The giveaway is open to residents ages 21 and up, with all Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms rules applying. Ticket sales end Feb. 28.

To purchase a ticket, go to the American Legion Post, which is open noon to 8 p.m. Sundays through Saturdays at 898 E. James Lee Blvd., or AA Tactical Inc., open 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays at 451 Ferdon Blvd. N. in Crestview.

See www.alpost75.org for more rules and regulations concerning the gun drawing, and a list of the guns for each drawing date.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: American Legion Post 75 hosts gun giveaway