CRESTVIEW — Deb Edwards wants to see the Emerald Coast Wildlife Zoological Park light up this winter.

Edwards, a volunteer at the Deer Springs Drive zoo, is planning a family-friendly holiday event featuring a Christmas light display.

But she'll need sponsorships to make it happen, and time is of the essence.

Christmasdonebright.com, which offers a variety of large animated light displays, is offering 20 percent off online orders until June 30.

“We are hoping to get some sponsorship,” Edwards said. “We don’t want to take any money out of the general fund.”

Edwards asks that potential sponsors contact her before making online purchases.

In addition to lights, the zoo seeks a volunteer-licensed electrician to install additional electrical outlets throughout the zoo.

The Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge, a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation, education and rehabilitation of Florida wildlife, owns and operates the zoo.

Offering community events like the planned Christmas outing and April's Easter Egg-stravaganZOO — during which, residents could visit with the Easter bunny and decorate eggs — is part of a goal to help the zoo expand.

“We don’t think small; we have big dreams for this place,” Edwards said.

“We want to bring in more exhibits and more animals.”

HOW TO HELP

Contact Deborah Edwards, mknbkn4u@cox.net or 685-9014, if you're interested in sponsoring zoo lights at the Emerald Coast Wildlife Zoological Park

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Zoo seeks sponsors for Christmas light display

BAKER — The Baker Block Museum on Friday will host free Family History Workshops conducted by volunteers with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Residents can learn how to delve into their families’ histories, climbing the family tree while unraveling relationships, clarifying fuzzy recollections and finding links to their ancestry.

The museum’s research library holds accreditation from the Mormon church, which is world-renowned for its expertise in genealogy, museum Director Ann Spann said.

“We’ve really been able to help people see family members not as name on a page but as a real person, and that’s thrilling,” Sister Chambers, a Mormon missionary and museum volunteer, said. Church rules do not allow her to use her first name, she said.

Chambers and her partner, Sister Grady, will conduct Friday’s one-hour workshops, showing participants how to use FamilySearch.org.

“They’ll learn about new features for sharing photos and documents. There are also features for collaboration so you can share your research with long-lost cousins who are also doing research,” said Chambers.

FamilySearch.org is a free service of the Mormon church.

“We want to be able to help anyone find their family and where they came from,” Chambers said.

The website’s database includes immigration records, census reports, naturalization records, birth and death certificates, and residency records.

“You can also see an image of the original documents,” Chambers said.

“It’s really fun when you find that one piece that connects what you do know to what you don’t know,” Chambers said. “We did that with someone the other day and this light bulb came on.

"They were so excited because they found something about their family they never knew before.”

WANT TO GO?

WHAT: Family history workshops

WHEN: 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. June 27

WHERE: Baker Block Museum library, 1307B Georgia Ave. (State Road 4)

NOTES: Volunteers will teach attendees how to research their family histories using resources including FamilySearch.org

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at brianh@crestviewbulletin.com, follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Family history workshops teach residents how to use resources

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Civitan Club will meet at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at Coach-N-Four, 114 John King Road, Crestview. Visitors are always welcome.

Peggy Brockman, of Brockman Enterprises Inc., was the club's June 12 guest speaker.

Brockman, a certified member of the John Maxwell Team, is a published author, a motivational speaker, an effective trainer and a passionate coach in all types of leadership and development courses.

"She imparted some invaluable tools on how clubs can effectively build their membership," a Civitan spokesperson said.

The club meets at 11:30 a.m. the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at Coach-N-Four.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Civitan Club members learn about membership building

BAKER — Memories of days gone by are fresh in the minds of visitors to the Baker Block, who now eagerly anticipate the November Baker Heritage Festival following Saturday's Baker Memories Day.

In the Baker Block Museum, a U.S. Marine Corps dress uniform cover drew John Griffin, 7, to the display of military memorabilia as he and his brother Daniel, 10, explored the eclectic collection.

The brothers, visiting the Block for Baker Memories Day from Holt with their mom, Evelyn, tried on several of the displayed uniform hats, John giving a snappy salute as he donned the Marine cover.

"That hat's too small for you," John said, laughing, as a Boy Scout field cap perched atop his brother's head.

At the end of the Baker Block porch, the Baker Mercantile welcomed visitors, some of whom remembered when the original Mercantile filled most of the building.

"They have some nice things in there," Crestview resident Joann Smith of Crestview said, emerging from the store. "When I was a little girl we'd come in the Mercantile for candy when we'd come to Baker to visit Maw-maw and Paw-paw.

"To a little girl, it seemed like they sold everything under the sun," she added.

Outside in the Heritage Park, vendors, some of them Mercantile merchants, sold arts and crafts, plants, aprons and other merchandise.

Popular on the sweltering day were Jerry Champion's homemade ice cream, churned using an old-time engine, and snow-cones sold by the women and youth of Golan Assembly of God in Baker.

"Everybody said it's good," Champion said. "Either they're good liars or it's pretty good ice cream."

Grill masters Jim Turner and Jamey Broxson, who organized the event the past three years, said requests for hamburgers and hotdogs started coming in early, necessitating opening lunch sales half an hour ahead of the announced noon serving time.

"We had folks asking for 'em," Turner said. "If they want to spend money to help raise money for the museum, we're not going to say 'no.'"

For Turner, the museum holds special significance. The log cabin in which his mother, Marinell Hutto, and her father, Orbie Hutto, were born is one of the vintage Heritage Park buildings.

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 Memories Day draws crowd to Baker Block to reminisce

CRESTVIEW — Curious about Social Security? A free question-and-answer presentation is scheduled for Tuesday.

The presentation, sponsored by Yvonne Shanklin, an Edward Jones financial adviser in Crestview, is 6 p.m. June 24 at Coach-N-Four Steakhouse, 114 John King Road, Crestview.

The presentation will tackle the following questions:

•How does Social Security fit into my retirement income plan?

•When should I start taking benefits?

•What about taxes?

To make a reservation, call Marcia Fleming, 682-2497.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Social Security Q&A set for Tuesday

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Pools offer Crestview residents a local option to stay cool

Did you know that children are the most common victims of dog bites? Many dog bites that affect children happen during everyday activities and with familiar dogs.

The American Veterinary Medical Association has great ways to help parents and their children understand how they can prevent dog bites, so you can help your kids – and dogs-stay safe and happy!

Here are the association's tips:

1.  Avoid dogs you don't know. If you see an unknown dog wandering loose and unsupervised, avoid the dog.

2. Ask before petting!  When the owner is with their dog, always ask the owner for permission to pet their pup. Even if it's a dog you know, asking first can help prevent sudden movements that may startle the dog.

3. When confronted, don't panic. If a dog confronts you, walk confidently and quietly away. If a dog goes after you, stay calm and stand still, keeping hands low and clasped in front of you. It's important to take a defensive position, so the dog won't think you are trying to harm him.

4. Don't make it worse. Avoid escalating the situation by yelling, running, hitting or making sudden movements towards the dog. All of these actions will make the dog feel threatened and can make the dog more aggressive.

5. Let sleeping dogs lie. When a dog is sleeping or eating, leave the dog alone.

6. Never tease dogs. Don't take their toys, food or treats, and never pretend to hit or kick them. This could create distrust in the dog, and make him or her more aggressive.

7. Playtime has a beginning and end. A dog has to want to play, but when the dog leaves that's your cue that playtime is over. The dog will come back for more play if he feels like it.

8. Never pull a dog's ears or tail. Pain makes a dog feel like he is in danger and he could respond by biting.

9. Dogs aren't toys. Never climb on or try to ride dogs. Not only could this scare or anger the dog, but it could also injure the dog if he cannot support the weight or tries to get away.

10. Dog crates are safe spaces. Don't bother a dog when he is in his crate. Dogs need a comfortable, safe place where the child never goes. Remember, dogs need alone time too!

Teach your children these simple lessons to reduce dog bites, and help keep your kids and pups safe, happy and healthy!

For more information on preventing dog bites, visit www.avma.org.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 10 things we can teach our children to prevent dog bites