MILLIGAN — Dan and Trish Gartner’s Christmas lights are once again up for display.

The couple's front yard — which includes a nativity scene, The Nutcracker, Santa Claus, reindeer, Christmas trees and Disney characters, among other cheerful sights — is lit 5-10 p.m. seven days a week at 5206 Ray St., Milligan.

The annual display takes three weeks to recreate, Trish Gartner, a Publix employee, has said. The couple design the display together and Dan sets up the lawn decorations and strings the lights.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Milligan couple's Christmas display returns

CRESTVIEW — Crestview Manor residents received a surprise visit Dec. 8 from Girl Scout Troop 676 members.

The girls, led by Daisy Leaders Jeane Gardner and Heidi Gallegos, sang “Jingle Bells,” “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

They also gave cards and snowman treats to residents.

Tiffany Wrathell, activities director at Crestview Manor, said residents loved having the girls and they enjoy having visitors. Call 689-7850 if you or your group is interested in doing something for the residents or sponsoring them.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Girl Scout Troop 676 carols at Crestview Manor

CRESTVIEW — A number of volunteers have ensured that American veterans are unforgotten.

Saturday, members of Crestview’s VFW Post 5450 met at Old Bethel Cemetery on Old Bethel Road to clean gravesites and surrounding areas of veterans of American wars. Some of the gravesites have broken headstones; some of the names are indistinguishable.

“There are 66 veterans buried here dating back to the pre-Civil War period. Most of them from that period were Confederate soldiers,” said Trent Rundell, a 24-year Air Force veteran. Volunteers sprayed a solution on headstones that helped make names more visible.

“This is the first time our post has come out here and done this. We do come out here and to other local cemeteries every Memorial Day and place American flags on gravesites,” said Scott Hice, a 22-year Air Force vet.

Also helping was John Hamilton, a retired Marine who served in Vietnam. He recently retired as the VFW's national adjutant general and was the national commander-in-chief from 2012-2013. He moved to Crestview to help in VFW District 1.

The Crestview Historic Preservation Board in 2013 selected Old Bethel Cemetery as a location for a historical landmark marker. The marker also recognizes the significance of the Old Bethel Church, a log structure that dates back to the 1830s.

Local oral history says a mass grave of Confederate soldiers, from a skirmish in the nearby Yellow River, is buried within a circle of a field of stones in the cemetery’s oldest section. However, University of West Florida archaeologists say they cannot find evidence of bodies below the markers.

In 2017, the post’s members hope to help clean other local cemeteries where veterans are laid to rest, volunteers said. 

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Editor's Note: An earlier version of this article misspelled Scott Hice's name. In addition, the article previously included incorrect positions for John Hamilton within the VFW. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Respecting the dead

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Elks Lodge 2624's annual Hoop Shoot free throw contest is scheduled.

North Okaloosa boys and girls ages 8 to 13 may participate in the contest, which is noon Dec. 17 at the Twin Hills gymnasium, 100 Hathaway St. S., Crestview.

The event is free to attend and open to the public. Students must bring a birth certificate or passport as proof of age to participate.

Winners at the local level who advance through regional and state competitions will attend the national final April 22 in Chicago, Illinois.

Contact Hoop Shoot Directors Wanda Walker, 758-5985, or Kim Sayer, 902-2133; or visit http://www.elks.org/hoopshoot for more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Elks set kids free throw contest

CRESTVIEW — A troupe that tours the country speaking to children about bullying will soon come to Crestview.

The Xtreme Force Live Anti-Bullying Hollywood Stunt Team will perform 6-7:20 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 12 at the Crestview Community Center.

The show, intended for all ages, stars Mark Anthony Baca and his Crew 1. It teaches anti-bullying skills, leadership skills and the importance of respecting parents.

The interactive event, presented by Guardian Anti-Bullying, a nonprofit organization, features all four Ninja Turtles, along with the Blue Power Ranger.

Baca, who has done movie stunt work the past 13 years, came up with the concept, which includes a rotation of cast members, depending on their availability and the show’s location.

“I got bullied a lot as a kid and know what it is like to be picked on. I want kids to have positive role models to look up to,” Baca said.

The show is performed three to four times a week and reaches thousands of kids, he said.

Tickets are available at https://xtremeforcelive.ticketleap.com/ or you can purchase them at the door. Infants get in free; children up to 12 pay $10; and attendees ages 13 and up pay $15.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Anti-bullying show comes to town

ORLANDO — After 13 straight wins the Baker Gators and their faithful fans were used to winning and, more important, overcoming adversity.

Their path to get to the FHSAA state championship game on Thursday showcased their ability to fight the odds and prove experts wrong by making plays and shifting momentum when it mattered.

Their game in Orlando was a different situation. The Gators were playing a Pahokee team that hit harder and ran faster than any opponent they had faced.

In Pahokee’s win, Baker held their own in a way the scoreboard didn’t show.

The Pahokee Blue Devils hit the knees of senior fullback Nick Adams, which took him out of the game. One of those knees bent in the opposite direction. Yes, Nick was done, but he said the pain was worth it.

The Baker Gators committed several turnovers. Their defense, however, went back on the field and didn’t allow Pahokee to capitalize as much as they should have. They did their job. For the seniors, it was for one last time.

At halftime the pain on the Gators’ faces was visible, with several limping off the field, many grimaced from playing harder than they ever have. Baker hadn’t scored in the first half. After halftime, the Gator defense kept Pahokee from scoring on their initial drive, and answered back by scoring on a drive of their own, as if they had new life.

Baker made some mental mistakes in their turnovers and penalties. However, the Gators never committed a personal foul or got flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. Their opponents committed two facemasks, two unsportsmanlike conducts and an unnecessary roughness penalty.

The Baker fans who made the six-hour drive to Orlando never feigned enthusiasm despite their team never taking the lead. They kept up the words of encouragement and were on their feet for most of the game. Fans on the opposite side of the field, while cheering during Pahokee’s big plays, stayed seated when things didn’t go their way. 

Pahokee had possession with a minute left in the game and a two-score lead. Instead of taking a knee in victory formation, they attempted another scoring drive. At game’s end, Baker was the first to line up for handshakes and stood waiting for several minutes for their opponents to do the same.

The Gators were understandably disappointed. Logan Rickmon, who capped off his career at Baker with a touchdown reception, cared more about his teammates than he did his own accomplishments. Senior Gators hugged their saddened underclassmen, comforting them, while also, in a way, passing the torch for the next season.

The Road to State is not an easy one. For this Baker senior class, they got further every year with three district championships and two regional championships. These Gators are not short of accomplishments.

Accomplishments like these are nothing, however, without having the class and heart it takes to be true champions.

Coach Matt Brunson had instilled that in his team ten-fold.

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Editor's Note: An earlier version of this article included referenced speculation about the National Anthem. We've corrected the article. 

Please keep comments civil. In the spirit of sportsmanship, both Baker and Pahokee's teams should take pride in one thing: making it to Orlando. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: What the scoreboard didn’t show

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

CRESTVIEW — One group’s bicyclists regularly meet to ride together and raise safety awareness. But it wasn’t always that way.

Many people see traffic on U.S. Highway 90 and State Road 85 and rule out bicycling, according to Crestview Community Cycling Club President Miguel Davila.

"Everybody said the same thing: 'There's nowhere to ride in Crestview,” he said. “Outside the city limits, there are plenty of places to ride. We got everybody together and showed them the routes we do have," he said.

Davila, a disabled veteran and owner of the Chained Concepts bicycle shop in Crestview, is a certified League of American Bicyclists instructor. "They teach you how to route plan, how to conduct a ride, what obstacles to look for on the road … it's basically like going through a driving course," Davila said of the league.

Group riding raises safety awareness for bicyclists and motorists. A group is more visible on roadways and drivers pay more attention than they do to an individual rider, according to Davila.

The club, also called C4, ensures beginner bicyclists learn the rules of the road. Advanced bicyclists learn to take their riding to the next level, whether they're an experienced rider wanting to use their bicycle as transportation to work, or a professional seeking to improve speed and times. They also learn bike maintenance; traffic maneuverability; and increasing and improving personal riding skills.

The club started in 2014 with four members and currently has about 42 at all ages and experience levels. The group has regular meetings, sets group rides, and participates in non-local rides.

Group member Ronnie Austin lists getting out in the countryside, relaxation and physical fitness as some reasons for riding. The other is, "If you have a knee problem and you get properly fitted on your bike, it's one thing to help your knees. Another thing is I can't run anymore. It’s the best thing you can do as far as losing weight and it's not taxing on your body. I started doing triathlons and really like it, but I got to where I couldn't run."

He and his wife, Annie, are regular bicyclists who also take bike-riding excursions in other states. The trips are organized events on set routes that are anywhere from 10 miles to more than 100.

So, what’s the biggest challenge for bicyclists?

"The weather, really; dealing with the elements,” he said. “Wind as a cyclist can be a cyclist's nightmare."

He said the way the weather goes from clear to sudden thunderstorms makes finding immediate shelter a necessity.

However, "People are pretty nice,” he said. “If they see you're a bike rider, they're not going to run you off or anything if you pull up underneath their awning.”

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WANT TO JOIN?

C4 membership costs $30 per year for insurance and other club costs. Apply at Chained Concepts, 2500 Ferdon Blvd. S., or at the company’s Facebook page.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Cycling club raises solidarity, safety awareness among riders

CRESTVIEW — The Florida Fire Marshal's office is investigating the cause of a Dec. 3 residential fire.

The Crestview Fire Department responded to an 11:03 p.m. alarm call at a wooden frame, one-story house at 498 Spring St. N.

Property damage was estimated at more than $60,000, with no injuries or fatalities.

The Eglin Air Force Base Fire Department provided automatic aid at the scene.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview fire results in $60,000 in damage