Author and poet Maya Angelou said, “Our young must be taught that racial peculiarities do exist, but that beneath the skin, beyond the differing features, and into the true heart of being, fundamentally, we are more alike, my friend, than we are unalike."

You can discover vast amounts of literature and historical information by and about influential African-Americans.

It's all right here at the Crestview Public Library. 

Not only are there print resources available, but you also can search our electronic database for historical records such as Heritage Quest’s Freedman’s Bank Records. Here, you can get a small, yet fascinating feel of former slaves' economic lives. 

Freedman’s Bank, which was founded to serve African-Americans, lasted from the end of the Civil War to 1874. Its branches and its customers' age, physical description, former master and plantation location are some descriptors included in these historical archives. 

Search for HeritageQuest on our website, www.cityofcrestview.org/library.php, and type in the barcode on the back of your library card when prompted.

Marie Garcia is the Crestview Public Library's assistant director.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CHECK IT OUT: African-American history resources available

CRESTVIEW —  Natalie Santiago didn't meet Chaca, her future husband, at her best friend's wedding around 2012.

But little did she know, her soulmate was in the same room. "He saw me; I didn't see him," she said.

Things were different at the same friend's birthday party the following year. Natalie and Chaca were formally introduced, and their relationship took off from there.

"He contacted me by phone and then we just started talking," Natalie, a customer service agent, said. "We decided to meet up about a month later and went out."

Their first date was at a Fayetteville, N.C., park. Chaca, a U.S. Army chief warrant officer, prepared a picnic with wine and cheese for the outing.

The chemistry was instant.

"We had great conversations," Natalie said. "When we talked, we felt the same way about certain things."

Chaca proposed marriage to her at a pond in Fort Bragg, Natalie said.

"My husband said, 'Do you trust me?' and I said, 'Yes!'" Natalie said. "He proceeded to blindfold me and led me to the water, where we got on a paddle boat.

"He paddled out a little ways and took my blindfold off. He had candles floating in the water all around us and from there he asked me to be his wife. I said yes with tears in my eyes!"

The couple have remained inseparable.

Natalie shared these words of love: "Chaca, I want you to know that you are my life! I had never thought someone could love me or treat me the way you do — thank you! I am forever grateful to God for you!

"Happy first anniversary! I can’t wait to spend many more years with you and enjoy the wonderful journey beside you. God bless you!"

Email Editorial Assistant Renee Bell, follow her on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview couple celebrates first year of wedded bliss

Let bagpipes stir your soul at the next Evening Library Time.  Robert MacDermott will begin piping at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb.24 at the Crestview Public Library.

MacDermott, who is Scots-Irish, grew interested in his musical heritage and the bagpipes in his mid-20s, and he began playing the instrument in 2011, according to his website.

This free program, funded by an anonymous donation, will last about 45 minutes and is geared for ages 4 and up. Registration is not required.

Please call 682-4432 with questions.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CHECK IT OUT: Enjoy bagpipes next month in Crestview

CRESTVIEW — A new library opened in town this month. Unlike the Crestview Public Library, however, this one’s a bit smaller: 16 by 19 by 23 inches, to be precise.

Jason Driver, an educator with the Okaloosa County School District, and his son Brendan, 9, erected Crestview's first Little Free Library.

Neighbors can stop by the library box — built from repurposed wood — in front of the family’s Hyde Park Drive home.

“If you see something you would like to read, take it,” Brendan and Jason stated in a flier distributed around the neighborhood. “Return your book to any Little Library or pass it on to a friend. If you can’t bear to part with it, keep it and bring back a different book to share.”

 “I see it as a sort of contribution to the community, so the more of the community that uses it, well, all the better,” Jason Driver said.

FATHER-SON PROJECT

Anyone who wants to start their own Little Free Library doesn’t necessarily have to buy a kit, Driver said. Theirs cost $270, according to the Little Free Library website.

“You pay a lot for not being able to do woodwork,” Jason said with a self-deprecating laugh.

For Brendan, building and maintaining the Little Free Library is a fun father-son project.

“It makes me feel happy,” Brendan said. “I like to do stuff with my dad.”

Brendan said he liked tackling the project because it can encourage other kids to read.

“I think it is a good idea for kids who don’t know what they want to read,” Brendan said. “They don’t have to pay to buy it because it’s free.”

ENCOURAGING READERS

Librarians at the Crestview Public Library said they love the Little Free Library concept as another opportunity to get young readers hooked on books.

“I think it’s a great idea,” Library Director Jean Lewis said. “Whenever you can encourage reading, encourage it. I’m glad we have one in Crestview.”

The movement, which started in 2011, has also been on their radar as a potential neighborhood outreach, Lewis said.

“We looked at it and wondered where we could (do) something like that,” she said.

Driver said county elementary school principals contacted him about erecting Little Free Libraries at their schools. Constructing them could possibly be a project of CHOICE carpentry classes or parent groups, he said.

Their neighbors have been overwhelmingly receptive to the library, Jason said.

“I think it encourages reading,” neighbor Tonya Phillip said. “The kids should get more interested in reading. I told my daughter, ‘You need to read more.’ It strengthens their minds more than a TV show. It should be part of all kids’ activities.”

Phillip said she planned to take her 11-year-old daughter by the Drivers' Little Free Library to peruse its selection of children’s books.

“It’s better for kids than electronics,” Phillip said.

LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES

Two Hudson, Wis. readers developed the Little Free Library concept in 2011. Since then, nearly 15,000 of the small, book-stuffed boxes have sprouted around the world.

Neighbors are welcome to borrow, keep, swap and contribute books from the box. Users are encouraged to put their names and a note sharing their impressions of the book in the front of returned books for other readers’ benefit.

Currently, the next-closest Little Free Libraries to Crestview are in Gulf Breeze, Navarre, Panama City and Pensacola.

Learn more at www.littlefreelibrary.org.

See www.crestviewbulletin.com for video of Brendan Driver discussing his family’s Little Free Library

WANT TO GO?

Jason and Brendan Driver invite neighbors to frequent their Little Free Library, 530 Hyde Park Drive.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Father, son open Crestview’s first Little Free Library

BAKER — Three North Okaloosa County passions — hunting, guns and good food — will combine in a duo of fundraisers for the Rotary Club of Crestview.

The 22nd Annual Wild Game Feast — featuring Olympian Roy Jones — and quail hunt at Gum Creek Lodge join a chance to win some shootin’ irons as fundraisers for the Rotary’s community projects.

“It’s 30 guns in 30 days,” Rotary member Allyson Oury said of the raffle. She said with 1,000 $30 raffle tickets available, odds are good for participants to win at least one, if not more, of the 30 weapons.

“There’s a variety of guns,” Oury said. “There are handguns, rifles and a couple shotguns as well. The grand prizes are two custom AR rifles that Precision Tactical has built in house.”

Ticket sales have been brisk, with fewer than 250 of 1,000 total remaining, Oury said. Nightly winning numbers during the 30-day raffle will be the same as those drawn for the Florida Lottery’s nightly CA$H-3 drawing.

“Whatever number comes up is going to be our winning number,” Oury said. “You actually have 30 chances regardless if you’ve already won. Every day you have the same chance.”

HUNTING AND FEASTING

Gum Creek Lodge owner and Rotary member Bill Barnhill said the Wild Game Feast is the Rotary’s biggest annual fundraiser. While individual tickets are available for $65, “most people attend through sponsorships,” he said.

“We raise anywhere from $8,000 to $20,000” at the feast, Barnhill said. “Over the years, our biggest benefactor has been Northwest Florida State College. We’ve given them about $120,000.”

The feast’s guest speaker is Olympic medalist Roy Jones, who boxed with Park Si-Hun in the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Participants will feast on a menu including venison and gravy, rice, biscuits, green beans, quail, wild pork and fish, with many selections being bagged on Gum Creek’s preserve, Barnhill said.

GUEST SPEAKER

The Rotary Club of Crestview's Wild Game Feast guest speaker is Olympian boxer Roy Jones, a Pensacola rap singer, actor and silver medalist at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Controversy surrounding the judges’ receipt of food and drink from South Korean boxing officials led many to call for Jones to receive the Olympic gold medal awarded to Park Si-Hun. The International Olympic Committee suspended the judges, but Jones still didn’t receive the top medal.

Jones continues to box, winning both 2014 bouts in which he fought to retain his World Boxing Union Cruiserweight title.

WANT TO GO?

WHAT:Rotary Club of Crestview Wild Game Feast

WHEN:6 p.m. Feb. 6

WHERE:Gum Creek Lodge, 5800 Buck Ward Road, Baker

COST:$65 individual tickets; Gold sponsorship $800 (includes 8 feast tickets and 2-4 person quail hunt); Silver sponsorship $450 (includes six feast tickets) and Bronze sponsorship $275 (includes four feast tickets)

NOTES:Entire proceeds benefit Northwest Florida State College and Rotary Club health, hunger and literacy programs. Tickets available at Day’s Tire and Auto, S&L Auto Body, Saltmarsh, or from any Rotarian.

30 GUNS IN 30 DAYS

WHAT:Rotary Club of Crestview firearm raffle

WHEN:Feb. 6 to March 8

COST:$30 donation per ticket

NOTES:Entire proceeds benefit Rotary Club of Crestview social welfare and community support projects. Winning numbers are those chosen nightly in the Florida Lottery CA$H-3 game. Tickets available from any Rotarian.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Game feast, hunting and guns combine in Rotary fundraisers