Approximately 754 children are in foster care in one of 400 foster homes throughout Northwest Florida, according to the Florida Department of Children and Families.

Those children need to be cared for, a DCF spokesperson said.

Contact the Families First Network, Northwest Florida, 453-7777 or  833-3898, if you are interested in becoming a foster parent.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: NWF foster parents are needed

CRESTVIEW — Banjoist Rick Edenfield, a familiar sight on Main Street, parks on a bench and plucks out tunes to entertain passersby.

Particularly Crestview children.

“I sit here and do this for the kids,” said Edenfield, also known as “the Banjo Bear,” or just "Bear." “If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t come down here. I’d get on my hands and knees and crawl down here if it meant playing for a kid.”

It hasn't come to that, but Edenfield, who uses a cane, regularly walks along Ferdon Boulevard to and from downtown, toting his banjo case, wearing a vest and an old fedora.

Neighborhood children enjoy listening to his virtuosity, and he’s always glad to oblige.

But Edenfield's musical roots go back much farther than today's generation. He's been playing the banjo in bluegrass and country bands for 47 years.

'Pretty talented'

“He’s been playing with me for 15 years or (more),” bluegrass musician Mack Brooks said from his memorabilia-filled barber shop, Main Street’s oldest business. Traditional country bluegrass practitioners sometimes gather there Saturday mornings to jam and swap stories.

“He’s a pretty talented person. He learnt a lot of it right here in this building."

Brooks said he and Edenfield are lifelong friends, having grown up in the Baker and Milligan areas, respectively. Brooks has watched out for Edenfield after his mother was killed.

“I’ve known Rickey ever since he was 3 or 4 years old,” Brooks said. “I always looked after him and took care of him. I learned him lots and he learned me lots.”

Hard worker

Brooks said he’s written at least 28 songs and Edenfield helped write the music for some of them.

“Me and Rickey went down to the Suwannee River, and I won three awards, and Rickey played with me there,” Brooks said of the state music festival in Live Oak.

Edenfield used to work a variety of jobs, including woodworking and cabinetry, Brooks said.

That meant “puttin’ up fences and workin’, just like every country boy.”

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: ‘The Banjo Bear,' a Main Street fixture, plays for the kids

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Exchange Club's mountain of paper products that members donated to Children in Crisis will serve the nonprofit well.

After all, the donated items are one of the most used items in caring for the children, and every little bit helps, CIC president and CEO Ken Hair said.

“We have been blessed with great support from the community to build the CIC Neighborhood," Hair said. "However, it’s a struggle to find the necessary funding and supplies to sustain operations of our foster homes.

"Support from the Crestview Exchange Club is a tremendous help in our efforts to provide a safe haven to the abused, neglected and abandoned children that don’t have a home.”

The Exchange Club is a national organization that focuses on reinforcing American values, building leaders for tomorrow, and protecting America’s children from harm.

The CIC Neighborhood has an emergency shelter for children removed without notice from an unsafe environment, family foster homes for young children and two teen transition homes for foster children aging out of care.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Nonprofit's president says Crestview Exchange Club's donation 'a tremendous help'

Drivers will encounter alternating lane closures on Cody Avenue southbound between U.S. 98 and the main gate to Hurlburt Field in Okaloosa County from 7 p.m. Thursday, June 5 to 5:30 a.m. Friday, June 6. The closures will allow construction crews to work on the traffic signal at the Cody Avenue/U.S. 98 intersection.

All planned construction activities are weather dependent and may be rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Nighttime Lane Closures Planned for Cody Avenue in Okaloosa County

CRESTVIEW — Twenty artists who drew chalk art on downtown sidewalks Saturday said they'll be back if Sidewalk Mania! returns.  

That could be sooner than expected. Event organizers want to hold another sidewalk event before summer's end, hopefully with better weather, increased turnout, more downtown merchants' participation and greater support from the Main Street Crestview Association.

Click here for more sights from Sidewalk Mania!>>

"The next time we organize this, we will work even closer with the businesses on Main Street so people can come and enjoy all of Main Street as well as watching our artists at work,” Main Street member and Friends of the Arts President Rae Schwartz said.

The event attracted artists of all ages, and a number of them said they learned some lessons along the way.

Adult category first-place winner Nick Belvin — who hadn't drawn sidewalk art since he was a kid — didn’t anticipate the challenges of the spot he chose to embellish with a colorful nautical motif.

“I think I picked the spot with the most rocks,” he said, lamenting rough aggregate embedded in the concrete panel he chose on Woodruff Avenue off Main Street.

Sarah Hawkins, whose pastel sunset drawing placed second, said the task required more chalk than she expected.

Youth category winner Douglas Black, 15, drew a subject close to his heart: “Dr. Who’s” TARDIS. The acronym for the doctor’s travel machine — disguised as a British police callbox — stands for Time And Relative Dimension In Space.

For his first-place-winning art in the child category, Riley Sandoval, 10, also chose a subject from popular culture.

“I like to draw stuff from Pokémon,” he said.

The event was the brainchild of Main Street member April Meier, owner of the Pawsitively Scrumptious pet boutique.

 “She did all the work and rounded up all the prizes,” Schwartz said. “All the competitors had a good time. Everyone I talked to said if we do it again, they’ll come back.”

—

SIDEWALK ART WINNERS (must run but can be on jump)

Child Category

1st Riley Sandoval

2nd Presley Lenczyk

3rd Kalysta Laird

Youth Category

1st Douglas Black

Adult

1st Nick Belvin

2nd Sarah Hawkins

3rd Anna Summers

Email News Bulletin Staff Arts and Entertainment Editor Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Organizers: Main Street sidewalk art competition could return before fall

Dewayne Reynolds' Dr. Magical Balloons Festively Fantastic, Phantasmagorical, Fun Time Balloon Show is coming to the Crestview Community Center next week.

You're all in for quite a show. He is fast (really fast), his balloon creations are amazing, he is a delight to see working and he creates fun, lasting memories! 

If you want to see fabulous balloon art by an engaging entertainer, join us Friday, June 13 at Warriors Hall. DeWayne will begin at 6:30 p.m. and finish around 7:15 p.m. Summer reading logs will also be available.

You may see pictures and videos showcasing his work at www.dewaynereynolds.com.

Evening Library Time is designed for children ages 4 and up.  Registration is not required.

This event is sponsored by the Crestview Public Library, our Friends, and Cub Scout Pack 799, Webelo Den 11 and Wolf Den 4!

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: Balloon entertainer coming to the Crestview Community Center

Internet and computer use are available at the library to help area residents apply for disaster assistance.

The Florida Emergency Management Agency provided the library with informational fliers on filing claims. If you sustained losses or damage from the recent storms, you may be eligible for disaster aid.

Call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) for details. The TTY number is 800-462-7585. Or visit disasterassistance.gov or m.fema.gov.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance is available at 1-800-681-8102. Visit the library at 1445 Commerce Drive, Crestview to see a fact sheet.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: FEMA disaster assistance information available at the Crestview library

BAKER — The Old Spanish Trail Pro Rodeo has entertained North Okaloosa crowds for 25 years, and increasing attendance over that time has meant greater financial support for the Baker Area Recreation Association.

Now, members want to give some support of their own. 

"For 24 of those years, all of the proceeds have all gone back into the facility to improve the facility and keep it up," BARA President Mark Todd said. "This year, we wanted to (give) something back to the community."

The gift, $1,000 in proceeds, will benefit local breast cancer research and awareness. 

Sally Cary, an American Cancer Society community events specialist, said the donation goes to ACS's Emerald Coast office in Fort Walton Beach. The branch, which also covers Crestview and Baker, will help fund patient services. That includes providing free wigs to women receiving radiation treatments and offering a 24-hour informational and support hotline.

Todd said he and other members were inspired to support breast cancer research after learning Sadie Lynn, a member of rodeo participants the All-American Cowgirl Chicks, was diagnosed with cancer at a young age.

"Being aware of that … we felt that breast cancer (awareness) was something we wanted to contribute to," Todd said. 

BARA members plan to continue supporting breast cancer with future rodeos, Todd said.

And that's good, because many residents need the help, Cary said.

"One out of eight women is going to be diagnosed with breast cancer, and their chances of beating it are very, very good now," she said.

There is a 3 percent — or one out of 36 — chance that a woman will die from breast cancer, according to the ACS website, cancer.org. Death rates have declined due to awareness, early detection and improved treatments.

April's two-day rodeo attracted almost 3,000 attendees each night, Todd 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: Baker recreational association gives breast cancer research $1K boost

The American Cancer Society invites Relay for Life attendees to bring their canine companions to the first registered Bark for Life of the Emerald Coast event. 

The event will be Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Destin Dog Park and City Complex, 4200 Indian Bayou Trail.

The day will include canine vendors and activities such as the Survivor Lap, Luminaria Lap, agility courses and a doggie cake walk.

Registration is $20 per dog, and participants can register online or at the event.

For more information, call Michelle with the American Cancer Society at 850-244-3813 ext. 3554 or visit www.relayforlife.org/emeraldcoastbarkfl.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Bark for Life of the Emerald Coast, American Cancer Society invites dogs