MILLIGAN — Dan and Trish Gartner hope passersby enjoy their home's Christmas lights 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. 

Setting up the lawn decorations and stringing all the lights are no easy feats — "Our display takes three weeks to create," Trish Gartner said. "My husband puts the decorations up, although we both design it." But that's beside the point.

The hard work is worth it, she said.

"We have lived here for three years and have always loved the joy we bring," Gartner said. "We decorate to bring joy to everyone who sees it. Bringing joy to others is a blessing to us."

Other rewards sometimes follow.

"One night, we had a family visit the lights," Gartner said. "A 3-year-old said to my husband she wanted to help pay the 'lectric' bill.

"She gave him a penny, which will be a forever part of our display."

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 'We decorate to bring joy': Milligan couple shares Christmas lights display

CRESTVIEW — Since 1989, Pauline Coleman of Laurel Hill has hosted Cookie Day.

Originally, it was intended just for her grandkids, but the event now includes extended family, friends and their children.

This year's Cookie Day, Dec. 5 at Ralph and Pauline Coleman's Laurel Hill home, attracted the largest turnout, with 60 attendees and hundreds of cookies made.

Each year, everyone gets to roll out cookie dough, cut cookies and decorate.

"After the cookies are cut out, Mrs. Coleman bakes every cookie in her oven with care," Jennifer Johnson said. "She enjoys every minute and every person who comes to spend Cookie Day with her.

"The more people who show up on the special day, the happier she gets."

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Laurel Hill Cookie Day tradition draws 60 residents

CRESTVIEW — The Concerned Citizens Group of Crestview's street ministry outreach will soon present angel boxes to recipients.

The organization, which accepted signups for the giveaway last month, will distribute more than 60 boxes — including coats, toys and other items — 9 a.m. Dec. 19 at Elder Services, 198 Wilson St. S., Crestview.

Children and their parents or guardians must be present to receive the boxes.

Contact Pearl Bess, 682-5733, for details.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview Concerned Citizens Group sets angel box giveaway

CRESTVIEW — Okaloosa and Walton County drivers can expect these traffic disruptions as crews perform construction activities:

●Interstate 10, between the Santa Rosa County line and east of County Road 189 (Holt/Exit 45): alternating east and westbound lane closures, 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 13 through Thursday, Dec. 17.  The speed limit within the lane closure area will be reduced to 60 mph.

●U.S. Highway 98, from the East Pass Bridge to Airport Road: Intermittent and alternating lane closures, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, Dec. 14 through Thursday, Dec. 17 as crews take roadway samples for testing.

●U.S. 331 Choctawhatchee Bay Bridge: Alternating lane closures on U.S. 331, across the Clyde B. Wells Bridge in Walton County, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday, Dec. 14 through Friday, Dec. 18 as crews place concrete for the new bridge.

●State Road 85 at Juniper Creek: Lane closure on S.R. 85 at Juniper Creek Bridge, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 16 as crews stripe the roadway.

●S.R. 285, from the Okaloosa County line to south of I-10, Walton County: Expect intermittent lane restrictions as paving operations get underway on a 6-mile project.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 5 Okaloosa, Walton County traffic disruptions to expect

CRESTVIEW — Lori Wenrich is the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors' 2015 Crestview Realtor of the Year.

Wenrich is an agent of Rising Star Real Estate, a brokerage specializing in Crestview, Niceville, Fort Walton Beach and Navarre properties, according to its website.

ECAR honored other leading members at its annual awards event, Dec. 3 at the Bayview Club on Eglin Air Force Base. 

Additional ECAR award winners include:

●Terry Pilcher, of Merrifield and Pilcher Realty, DeFuniak Springs, ECAR Realtor of the Year.

●Commercial Realtor of the Year: Chad Knaepple

●Destin Realtor of the Year: Abner Williams

●Fort Walton Beach Realtor of the Year: Ben Acock

●Niceville Realtor of the Year: Cathy Alley

●South Walton Realtor of the Year: Michele Bailey

●Unsung Hero: Kerry Kelly

ECAR also recognized its 2015 committee chairs and MLS tour coordinators for their contributions.

The organization — one of 1,500 local chapters of the National Association of Realtors — covers Okaloosa and Walton counties, and has more than 2,700 Realtor members from across the Florida Panhandle.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview Realtor of the Year celebrated

CRESTVIEW — Cousins Alyssa Pursley and Kiera Murrell are working to ensure Crestview area homeless have the basics for Christmas.

“They are gathering essentials as well as coats and blankets,” the girls’ grandmother, Pam Pursley, said. “So far they have 20 coats and are still accepting blankets.”

Alyssa, 10, and Keira, 7, are accepting donations through Dec. 14. They will turn the supplies over to the Church of Christ for distribution, Pursley said.

The girls seek blankets, gently worn adult coats, socks, and toiletries such as shampoo, hand lotion, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shaving cream, soap and bandages.

Alyssa and Kiera will collect toiletries, socks, blankets  and  gently worn coats through Dec. 14.

Contact Pam Pursley, pamelapursley@yahoo.com, 603-7541, to arrange for a pickup.

HOW TO HELP

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview area cousins collect coats, toiletries for area homeless

CRESTVIEW — The Walton Okaloosa Council on Aging's annual Christmas party is set for 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 18.

The event — to be held at 290 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. at the corner of Wilson St. — is open to anyone age 60 and over who would like to see the agency's Crestview site.

Call the council, 423-7320, or the main office, 892-8165, for more information or to RSVP.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Walton Okaloosa Council on Aging sets Christmas party

CRESTVIEW — Main Street Crestview Association's Christmas Parade winners are as follows:

●Civic organizations: 1^st place: Elks Club; 2^nd place: Boy Scout Troop 30

●Churches: 1^st place: Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church; 2^nd place: Pentacostals of Baker Church

●Businesses/Government: 1^st place: Hub City Glass; 2^nd place: Crestview Wal-Mart

Downtown window displays will be judged Dec. 16, with awards for displays and parade floats distributed at a City Council meeting in January.

Main Street Director Brenda Smith said parade attendance was at least up 25 percent more than previous years.

Crestview Police Cmdr. Andrew Schneider said he didn't take a formal count, but he believes more than 10,000 people attended the parade.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Main Street Crestview's Christmas Parade float winners are…

CRESTVIEW — When the Milanese MAD Gallery opens its Contemporary Art Exhibition Jan. 14, Crestview abstract artist Nicole Weaver will be among international exhibitors.

She shipped her paintings, “Trouble in Heaven” and an untitled work, off to Italy Nov. 30, with mixed emotions. A sense of completion, of satisfaction to exhibit in an international exhibition, and a sense of fear that the works might be lost or damaged in shipping.

“I had bad experiences in the past: two paintings lost!” Weaver said.

Still, she took a chance.

“Finally!!!” she texted when the paintings were dropped off at a local shipping company. “Fingers crossed but at least an international showing!”

MAD Gallery — its stands for Moda, Arte e Design, or “Fashion, Art and Design” — is a boutique gallery in Milan, Italy’s fashion capital. Its Contemporary Art Exhibition slogan is, “To join us you have to be MAD.”

“It's a small art gallery but they do good stuff for the artist,” Weaver said. That includes publicizing their artists’ works in print and online, holding critiques of the works, and having multi-lingual personnel who host art collectors and dealers to promote and sell the artists’ works.

Before Weaver’s works were accepted for the exhibit, she was required to submit a photo of the paintings and biographical information.

When she was notified in November that her works were accepted, she had to file a €100 fee — about $110 — and arrange and pay for her own shipping.

But to Weaver, who was raised in the Frankfurt, Germany, region, it is exciting to be exhibiting on her native continent.

“I want to see how (it) all works out,” she said. “We will see what happens! It's very exciting to be a part of something special.

"On the other hand, kind of sad, because Europe is more interested in my art (than) galleries here are.”

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview artist to exhibit abstracts in Italy

CRESTVIEW — Hard Core Tire & Auto has signed on as a U-Haul neighborhood dealer to serve the Crestview community.

The 133 Aplin Road business will offer U-Haul trucks, trailers, towing equipment, support rental items and in-store pick-up for boxes.

Hours of operation for U-Haul rentals are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday. After-hours drop-off is available.

You can reserve U-Haul products at this dealer location by calling 682-1967 or visiting http://www.uhaul.com/Locations/Truck-Rentals-near-Crestview-FL-32539/011135/.

"Hard Core Tire & Auto partners George and Amanda Stapleton are proud to team with the industry leader in do-it-yourself moving and self-storage to better meet the demands of Okaloosa County," a spokesperson said. "U-Haul and Hard Core Tire & Auto are striving to benefit the environment through sustainability initiatives.

"Truck sharing is a core U-Haul sustainability business practice that allows individuals to access a fleet of trucks that is larger than what they could access on an individual basis."

Each U-Haul truck helps keep 19 personally owned large-capacity vehicles, pickups, SUVs and vans off the road, according to a media release. Fewer vehicles means less traffic congestion, less pollution, less fuel burned and cleaner air.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Hard Core Tire & Auto now offers U-Haul trucks