VALPARAISO — Get ready for the “Biker’s Blast for the Past” Motorcycle Poker Run this Saturday.

Early online registration costs $15 and ends Thursday, but bikers can register the day of the event at a cost of $20 per person.

It begins at 8 a.m. at the Heritage Museum, 115 Westview Ave., Valparaiso, with music and a live broadcast by 99 ROCK and refreshments from Panera Bread.

Riders leave the museum at 10 a.m.; participants can take the 85-mile "blast," or do the "around the town" run, which covers stops within 10 miles of the museum.

A festival party is from 1-5 p.m. afterward. It includes  vendors, a DJ, and dancing under the "Big Top," courtesy of Tents of Northwest Florida. Historic exhibits, tours and demonstrations and traditional poker run fun,  raffles, games and grand prizes are also planned.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: “Biker’s Blast for the Past” motorcycle poker run is this weekend

Bring a pumpkin and wear paint-able clothes to the Crestview Community Center on Tuesday, Oct. 28 because we’re painting pumpkins! 

Residents age 4 and up can register before the event at the Crestview Public Library’s front desk. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. No-shows will be given to walk-ins at 6:30 p.m. 

When you visit the pumpkin patch beforehand, keep in mind that the pumpkin you pick will be wet with paint when you leave. We recommend a small pie pumpkin because they are cost-effective and easier to handle, especially when wet. You may want to bring a box to help transport it home. 

We’ll spray the pumpkin with acrylic spray to help the paint stay on top of the pumpkin instead of soaking in. While you’re waiting about 15 minutes for the acrylic spray to dry, pick out your paint palette, and then you may begin painting! We'll finish by 7:15 p.m. 

Thank you to our Friends of the Library for providing funds for the paint! Please call 682-4432 with questions.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CHECK IT OUT: Prepare for pumpkin painting

CRESTVIEW — Four families will soon be homeowners thanks to Habitat for Humanity of Okaloosa County.

Two three-bedroom, two-bathroom homes are among four scheduled Crestview home constructions, Nitsi Bennett, the nonprofit's chief executive officer, said.

Ground-breaking ceremonies for homes on Booker and Savage streets took place earlier this week, and homes on Lee and Cobb Avenues are near completion, Bennett said.

Florida's mortgage settlement fund provided partial funding for the projects, a spokesperson for the organization said.

But none of it would be possible without 20-plus organizations and businesses helping to sponsor the homes' construction.   

“The sponsors are making this happen,” Bennett said.

Soon, Stephanie Deese and her two sons will benefit from their generosity. She applied for affordable housing with the organization last fall.

“The weekend before Christmas, I got the approval letter in the mail … it was a really nice Christmas present,” Deese said.

The Deeses' dwelling will be built with help from traveling volunteers during a blitz build in October, Bennett said.

“The main volunteers are actually called Habitat for Humanity Road Trip Crazies,” she said.

The Crazies, including 40 volunteer builders from several states, will construct the foundation to the Sheetrock portion of Deese’s home in three days.

Deese plans to help. However, right now, she is just thankful for their efforts.

“This is very exciting; I am very grateful,” she said.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 'THIS IS VERY EXCITING' Habitat for Humanity breaks ground for 2 Crestview homes (VIDEO)

CRESTVIEW — U.S. Army veteran Nicholas Moore wants to begin his final year of flight school next month and become a certified international commercial airline pilot.

But he'll need some emergency financial assistance to finish the program.

FRIENDS SEEK HELP

Moore served over six years as an unmanned aerial vehicle mechanic/operator and deployed to Afghanistan three times during Operation Enduring Freedom.

 The 26-year-old single father, who is licensed to fly single-engine aircraft, left the Army to raise his 5-year-old son, Hayden. Now, he wants to complete his final year of flight school at the Airline Training Programs School in Jacksonville.

However, Moore— who was honorably discharged in May— has used all of his V.A. G.I. Bill benefits and student loan options to pay the school’s tuition costs, and he is $15,000 short.  

But friends believe where there is a will, there is a way. In this case, they hope, Moore can benefit from a GoFundme.com page.

Pensacola resident Amber Meche started the fundraising account for her friend.

“He has done a lot of good things to help people and he doesn’t charge anyone,” Meche said. “I just thought it would be nice to help him out.”

As of this writing, the site has raised just $150 toward the goal.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

In addition to Moore's service to his country, he has given back to the community by offering plane rides to people unable to fly commercial airlines.

Pressure changes from flying at a high altitude would cause hearing problems particularly problematic for some people, but flying at low altitude causes no change in pressure, Moore said.

Moore spent over 56 hours in the air allowing children with hearing and other health concerns to ride while in the Virginia and Washington State areas.

He paid for the airplane rentals, and estimated that he has spent $9,000 on 18 charitable flights in the past three years.

But it was worth it, he said. For instance, while in the air, he would let passengers get behind the controls and fly the aircraft under his supervision.

“They had a sense of over-enjoyment; they were ecstatic,” he said. “Most of these kids have never had the opportunity (to fly).”

Moore plans to offer the same services to patients at a hearing center in Pensacola.  

Upon getting his aviation degree and becoming an airline pilot, Moore wants to expand his charitable services.

“The goal is to take (these) people worldwide,” he said.

WANT TO HELP?

Visit www.gofundme.com/dxzq5c to support Nicholas Moore’s final year in flight school 

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Community service fills pilot's dreams, but advance tuition presents challenge

CRESTVIEW — Artist Nicole Weaver is the winner of the News Bulletin’s Redesign the Rack contest.

Weaver, who says her seven children inspire her colored abstracts, painted themes that reflect North Okaloosa County for her submission.

The newspaper's management plans to use her design, with a few suggested revisions, on the rack outside the newspaper's 638 N. Ferdon Blvd. office. Weaver also wins a $100 check.

News Bulletin staffers selected the artist’s design from two other finalists' submissions. All the finalists submissions were impressive, but when the time came to choose the first-place recipient, the decision was clear, Editor Thomas Boni said.

"Nicole's attention to detail, her submission's reflection of North Okaloosa culture and values and her artistic skill are to be commended," Boni said.

The winning design resulted from a spur-of-the-moment burst of creativity shortly after the newspaper announced the contest in early July, Weaver said.

“I did it because I had free time that day,” Weaver said. “It was a one-hour thing that I did. I will work with Thomas to refine it.”

The News Bulletin rack will be Weaver's first local public installation, although she had done some pieces of public art in her native Germany.

Weaver recently exhibited at the Crestview Public Library and will conduct student art workshops at Northwood Arts and Science Academy in October.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview artist wins News Bulletin's Redesign the Rack contest

CRESTVIEW — A recent health care mission in Belize was eye opening for several North Okaloosa residents.  

Seventeen volunteers spent a week in the Central American country providing clinical treatments, supplies and health education to people in seven impoverished villages.

Although several volunteers, including organizer Dr. Joseph Peter, were already aware of the area's health care needs, a number of first-time participants — who arrived Aug. 27 and returned last week — said the experience was memorable. 

“After getting (to) see the poverty these people lived in, all I wanted to do was help them out even more,” Fallon Simmons, a Crestview registered nurse, said in an email.

Volunteers evaluated and administered physicals to adults and children, and physicians prescribed any necessary medications, Simmons said.

“The thing I enjoyed most from this trip was seeing just how appreciative these people were that we came to help them,” she stated. “They all were so kind and polite at all times. They are willing to walk for miles away just to be seen for an hour by some doctors and nurses.”

Sharlene Cox, who said she helped register nearly 650 people for health screenings, noticed the change in culture.

“There would be people lined up for an hour (before we got to the villages) and you never heard a child throwing a tantrum during that time,” she said.

After seeing Belizeans' eagerness for medical assistance and witnessing their living conditions, Cox said she will not take America for granted.

“It has made me appreciate what we have here in America,” she said.

Loren Wilkinson, a prospective RN, agreed.

“The people we encountered live without basic necessities,” she stated in a Facebook message. “But seeing how others with very little are so grateful each day for what they have is a great lesson.”

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: EYE-OPENING MISSION Residents help impoverished Belizean villages, learn life lessons

CRESTVIEW  — The Friends of the Crestview Library will host its regular library benefit sale Oct. 3-5 this year.

The venue is now Warriors Hall, 201 Stillwell Blvd., Crestview. 

The fundraiser starts 5-8 p.m. Friday, with an "early bird" preview sale. Entry costs $2 for non-Friends of the Crestview library. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 4 and 5, at no charge to attendees.

The sale includes college text, large print, hard cover and soft cover books, children's books, CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, cookbooks, historical books, classics, jigsaw puzzles, book sets, and more.  Most books cost 25 cents to $1. All are in good to new condition.

To get a $4 discount off your purchase on one of the book sale days, join or renew your Friends membership by filling out a short form and paying the inexpensive dues. Call 850-682-4432 for more details.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Friends of the Crestview library sale moves to new location