CRESTVIEW — In less than seven months, four Crestview families have moved into their own homes after partnering with Habitat for Humanity.

And there are more to come, Habitat officials said.

See photos of the Clark family's home>>

CONDITIONAL FUNDING

“It started in 2013 with mortgage settlement funds we received,” Habitat Community Outreach Director Melissa Forte Litscher said.

Three years ago, Attorney General Pam Bondi entered a $25 billion federal-state agreement with the country's five largest mortgage servicers over foreclosure and mortgage servicing abuses. These included robo-signing and loan origination misconduct. The agreement provided an estimated $9.22 billion in relief to Florida homeowners, and addressed future mortgage loan servicing practices, according to Bondi's website.

But the funding came with conditions. One requirement to use settlement money was that Habitat rehabilitate a dilapidated residential site.

“We had to take an uninhabitable property, knock it down and build something habitable,” Forte Litscher said.

DREAM COME TRUE

The latest “something habitable” found Crestview resident La’Terica Clark and her daughter, Nylah, 4, celebrating Fourth of July in their own home.

“This has always been a dream — to be a homeowner — and Habitat for Humanity made it possible,” Clark said. “I never would have been able to afford it on my own.”

In December 2014, Clark received her phone call from Habitat saying her application had been accepted. Soon she and Nylah were hard at work, helping other families’ dreams come true and then helping build her own home.

Now, Nylah has specific ideas about how her bedroom should be decorated. She wants to hang costumes on the walls.

“I’m going to have an elephant costume,” she said. “I have a lot of costumes.”

'SWEAT EQUITY'

The nonprofit helps families who can't gain conventional house financing, according to its website.

"Generally, this includes those whose income is 30 to 50 percent of the area’s median income," the site states. "In most cases, prospective Habitat homeowner families make a $500 down payment."

Each adult family member is required to put at least 300 hours of “sweat equity,” or labor, into construction of their homes and those of other Habitat partner families.

Clark’s home is the 54th Habitat for Humanity Okaloosa County residence, with more coming.

“In the fall we are planning to be up in Crestview again,” Forte Litcher said. “We’re working on a plan for a five-home project up here.”

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Habitat for Humanity on a Crestview home-building boom (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

CRESTVIEW — Dr. Patrice A. Williams, the daughter of Isaac Othello “Chief” Williams and the late Ottie Mae Baldwin Williams, will marry Jonweau C. Shuford, the son of Milton and Carolyn Pogue Shuford, on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2015 at a private ceremony in Crestview.

The bride is the granddaughter of the late Clinton and Andrea C. Baldwin and the late Isaac and Genoa Williams. The groom is the grandson of the late John and Flora Pogue and the late Percy Sr. and Elizabeth Shuford.

Patrice serves as campus director at Northwest Florida State College’s Robert L.F. Sikes Education Center in Crestview.

Jonweau, a medically retired veteran of the United States Navy, served in several post-911 conflicts. Currently, he is a student pursuing his Associate of Science degree in Architectural Drafting & Design.

The couple will live in Crestview.

To submit a Special Occasion item, call 850-682-6524 for more information or email the announcement to us. You may include a photo.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SPECIAL OCCASION: Williams and Shuford plan Crestview wedding

FREEPORT — Alaqua Animal Refuge wants Northwest Florida residents to remember their pets in hurricane preparation plans.

The nonprofit suggests packing a pet supply kit — a sturdy, waterproof container — with these items:

•Medications, medical records, vaccination certificates, photographs and veterinarian information

•Leashes and harnesses, along with carriers large enough for pets to stand up and turn around in

•Toys and bedding

•Five days' food and drinkable water

•A manual can opener, just in case

See more tips at www.ready.gov/caring-animals and www.redcross.org/prepare/location/home-family/pets.

Pet owners should have an evacuation plan and ensure immunizations are current, proper identification is in place and pets have a safe place to stay.

Ask friends or family members if they can assist hosting your pet in case evacuations become mandatory. Or visit www.petswelcome.com, which provides information on hotels and motels that allow pets.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 5 hurricane preparation tips for pet owners

BAKER — The battle against breast cancer has received a boost from Baker Pro Rodeo sponsors.

For the second year, the rodeo presented a $1,000 check to the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of the Emerald Coast. Proceeds came from an April 11 Breast Cancer Awareness Night during the rodeo at the Baker Arena.

“In the rodeo world, it’s a big event to have Saturday nights as pink night for breast cancer awareness,” Baker Area Recreation Association President Mark Todd said. “We joined the movement last year and we want to keep it a tradition from now out.”

ACS will use the money for research and education to help save women's lives, breast cancer survivor Donna Fought, of Making Strides, said. “Getting the word out assures women get their mammograms,” she said.

“Even if you encourage just one woman to have an annual mammogram, you’ve saved a life. The American Cancer Society saved my life. I was one of those women who didn’t do what she was supposed to do.”

Rodeo organizers presented the check on Monday by a truck with a pink AAA Waste trash bin as a backdrop. Company owner Russell Moorman, one of the organizers, said AAA places the pink container at various community events, particularly cancer research fundraisers.

“It gets a lot of attention,” Moorman said. “People like to sign it.”

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Baker rodeo donates $1K toward breast cancer education, research (VIDEO)

LAUREL HILL — Residents now can donate toward a horse rescue program that benefits military veterans with post traumatic stress disorder.

The website http://www.gofundme.com/x9h2jt84 is accepting donations for Safe Haven Horse Rescue Center, which provides horse rehabilitation and adoption along with therapy for veterans.

So far, $80 of a $5,000 goal has been raised, according to the website managed by Amanda Hults.

The 20-acre center can care and provide shelter for 15 to 20 horses at a time. Eighty percent of the organization's funding comes from co-owner Jim Bryan’s retirement fund and donations, according to the site.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Fundraiser established for Laurel Hill horse rescue organization

CRESTVIEW — The next time Gavin Raabe, 5, hauls in the big one, it could be with a fishing lure he received from Bass Pro Shops.

Ryan Cox, the Destin sporting goods store’s manager, donated goodie bags to six registered participants of the city's annual fishing camp. Contents included fishing lures, a battery-powered LED lantern for night fishing, and other useful equipment.

See summer fishing camp photos>>

Crestview High School outdoor education teacher and sports coach Ernie Martin, who led last week's camp, has shared his love of fishing with young anglers for almost 15 years.

Between sage advice, stories of his “ones that got away,” and homespun humor, Martin imparts life lessons on respecting the environment and perpetuating Northwest Florida outdoors traditions.

Indicating fish swimming around the campers’ baited hooks, Martin shared what makes Twin Hills Park's footbridge a prime fishing spot.

 “I’m kinda like the fish,” he said. “I hang around where I get fed.” 

The camp is now on its second generation of fishermen, as evidenced by Brantley Conway, a 2-year-old whose dad, Patrick, a Crestview High alumnus, was one of Martin’s campers years ago.

Though Brantley was too young to be an official fishing camper, that didn’t douse his enthusiasm as he pulled in a small wiggling bream while perched on the bridge’s top rail where Patrick held him.

For five days, Martin said, his students daily caught — and released — between 20 and 25 fish, including catfish, bream, war mouth “and a few turtles thrown in."

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Bass Pro goodie bags enhance Crestview summer fishing camp (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

Animal Avengers will feature live, exotic wildlife from all over the world that possess unique abilities at Summer Stories on Wednesday, July 15.  Doors open at 10 a.m.; the program begins at 10:15 at the Crestview library, 1445 Commerce Drive, Crestview. 

Sight, sound, touch, strength and movement allow these animals to overcome barriers. The audience — recommended for ages 6 and up — will be asked to interact with the animals through “hands-on” volunteering, question and answer, and crowd participation activities.  All are guaranteed an up-close, personal experience.

You’ll meet: a Paraguayan screaming hairy armadillo, a boa constrictor, collared aracari (toucan), an Argentine black and white tegu and a Brazilian salmon pink bird-eating tarantula!

We’d like to thank the Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative for funding this event, so it is free for you! 

Registration is not required. Please visit www.animaledzoocation.com for more details or call me at 682-4432 with questions.

Heather Nitzel is the Crestview Public Library's youth services librarian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: NITZEL: Exotic wildlife to visit Crestview library next week

BAKER — Emily Stuckey knows how to manage her time well.

Then again, maybe that's putting it mildly.

The 16-year-old is a rising junior at Baker School, where she is on the honor roll, and is dual-enrolled at Northwest Florida State College; she is a member of Mu Alpha Theta, an honors math club; she plays the flute for Baker's marching band; and she somehow makes time for her true passion: riding horses. 

"I do as much as I can when I can," she said.

How does she balance it all?

"It's just scheduling," she said. "I wait until marching season has slowed down and then focus on (horse) shows. 

"I just hope I don't have a test the next day."

RIDER FOR LIFE

Stuckey, who owns five horses, currently rides Arnold Spotzenagger, an 11-year-old Arabian/quarter horse.

He's been with her in shows as close as Baker and as far as Poplar Place Farm, just north of Columbus, Ga., and Rocking Horse Stables in Altoona.

Stuckey's mother, Dolly, rides in some of the same shows, on her horse, Little Bit of a Girl.

It's a family affair, so riding horses is nothing new for Stuckey.

"I have been riding practically all my life," she said.

Since the first grade, Stuckey has participated in over 100 shows, many in Baker, she said.

The way she prepares for those competitions adds even more responsibility for an already busy teenager.

"I train my own horses," she said.

That makes her particularly accountable for the show's result.

"What I get reflects on me," she said.

So far, results have been impressive.

For instance, she won first place in senior-level dressage last year at the Area A 4-H Horse Show in the Jackson County Agricultural Center in Marianna.

Dressage "uses movements and figures — gymnastic exercises — that have been developed over centuries to demonstrate the complete unity possible between a horse and rider," according to the United States Dressage Federation.

DREAMS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL

The teen is featured on the July/August cover of the nationally distributed "Young Rider" magazine with Baskin Sheen, her 16-year-old Arabian.

That's fitting because Stuckey's love of all things equestrian is evident. Her Facebook likes include Horses; Eventing; Olympian horse rider Karen O'Connor; Horse People Quotes; My Virtual Eventing Coach; and Fergus the Horse.

And oh, yes: a fan page with a lighthearted headline that says it all: "If heaven doesn't have horses, I'm not going."

Of course, heaven can wait because first comes high school graduation, and then college, along with the real world and all that goes with it.

As for college, Stuckey plans to study chemical engineering.

She has not decided whether she will participate in the marching band after high school, but there's no question that she'll continue to ride.

There's still time to figure out the details, though; after all, it's more than a year away.

"I am not sure how that will completely work out, but that is my plan," she said.

Eventually, Stuckey wants to be a high-level amateur. That means she will continue to own her horses but she won't be paid to ride.

"I like that better than being a professional," she said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Baker student featured in Young Rider magazine