Daughters of the American Revolution Choctawhatchee Bay Chapter members Joyce Harrington and Patti Cogdal recently recognized a volunteer who has surpassed expectations.

Marcus J. Michles II, of the Michles Family Freedom Foundation, earned Community Service and Flag Award Certificates during an April 11 ceremony honoring American patriotism, military and first responders.

The DAR National Society Board of Management established the Community Service Awards Committee in April 1995 so states and chapters could recognize worthy individuals for outstanding voluntary achievements in cultural, educational, humanitarian, patriotic, historical, citizenship or environmental conservation endeavors.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Local DAR chapter recognizes Pensacola lawyer for volunteerism

The National Association of Letter Carriers' 22nd Annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive on May 10 will help North Okaloosa food banks restock their pantries.

To participate, place your nonperishable, unexpired food donation in a bag beside your mailbox early that morning. U.S. Post Office letter carriers will pick up your donations as they make regular mail deliveries and take them to local food banks.

Needed food items include quick meals like macaroni, spaghetti, soups, canned meats, peanut butter, canned juice, canned fruits, canned vegetables, baby food and cereal.

Local food bank participants include:

•Raymond Williams Missions Center OKA Food Pantry, 850-398-6760, 404 West James Lee, Crestview

•Sharing and Caring OKA Food Pantry, 850-682-1907, 298 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Crestview

Visit the United Way Esca-Rosa website, click "Find Services" and type "food pantry" for a list of additional food bank participants.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Stamp Out Hunger food drive is May 10

CRESTVIEW — An afternoon of family fun, complete with horse and pony rides, archery, bounce houses, swimming, face painting and food, will reap benefits for the Crestview YMCA.

The April 27 Family Strong Fun Day's $5 admission charge and proceeds from food sales will go to the local Y, organizers said.

"All this money stays at the Crestview YMCA and is controlled by the Crestview Y advisory board," Old Warrior Ranch owner Tom Moody, the Y's executive director, said. "This is our major fundraiser for the year."

The Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge will present some of its "animal ambassadors," local 4-H Club members will display farm animals during the event, and sponsor Lee Buick-GMC will display new vehicles.

Moody occasionally hosts YMCA fundraisers at his family's ranch, a five-minute drive north of Crestview High School, off State Road 85 and Zadie Lane.

"My thought was to start the spring off doing a family activity and, of course, the Y's family-oriented," he said. "It's just going to be a great afternoon of fun things for the family to do."

WANT TO GO?

What: Family Strong Fun Day, a Crestview YMCA fundraiser featuring horse rides, archery, bounce houses, swimming and food concessions

When: 2-5 p.m. April 27

Where: Old Warrior Ranch, 3229 Audrey Drive, between Auburn and Garden City

Cost: $5 each and free for children under 3; tickets at the gate or from the YMCA, 298 Wilson St., Crestview

CONTACT: 689-2999

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Family Strong Fun Day to benefit Crestview YMCA

CHIPLEY — Construction crews will install fiber optic conduit along Interstate 10 April 22-25 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The work will require intermittent lane closures on State Road 285, County Road 189, U.S. Highway 331 and State Road 81 where they pass under the interstate.

This work is part of the $24 million Intelligent Transportation System construction project. The network will include 183 traffic cameras, 17 overhead message signs, 135 microwave vehicle detectors, 40 travel time sensors, three road and weather information sensors and eight highway advisory radios.

Construction crews are installing the fiber optic infrastructure for the high speed communication network along a 158-mile section of Interstate 10 from State Road 87 in Santa Rosa County to U.S. Highway 90 in Gadsden County. The network will also extend 56 miles along U.S. Highway 231 from the Alabama State line to Bay County.

Installation began at the I-10/U.S Highway 231 interchange and is proceeding east and west along the interstate  and north and south on U.S. 231. A new regional transportation management center will also be established at the Florida Department of Transportation District Three headquarters in Chipley.

The planned construction activities are weather dependent and may be rescheduled due to inclement weather. For more information, follow the FDOT District Three Twitter feed.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Lane closures planned for roadways underneath Interstate 10

Bel Aire Terrace Apartments, a luxury apartment community in Crestview, is hosting its first fundraiser for the Bel Aire Terrace Relay for Life team.

The event, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 19,  is a combined car wash and yard sale and all donations collected will go directly to the fight against cancer. 

"If you are looking for something to do this weekend, stop by Bel Aire Terrace on PJ Adams Pkwy in Crestview, FL this Saturday to participate in the wonderful event," a Bel Aire spokesperson said. "The pet friendly community will be accepting donations for the yard sale until 12 p.m. Saturday, April 19."

Items may be dropped off at the Bel Aire Terrace Leasing Office at any time during office hours. 

If you are interested in making a donation, volunteering for the event, or joining the Bel Aire Terrace Relay for Life Team, contact Morgan Rogers, relocation specialist and Relay for Life team captain, at 850-423-6980 or email belaireterrace2@contravest.com.  

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview apartment complex hosts Relay For Life yard sale on Saturday

CRESTVIEW — Crestview Toastmaster Wanda Walker is now a Distinguished Toastmaster.

Walker recently received her DTM award from Toastmasters International after completing more than 40 speech projects and numerous leadership projects, including serving as Area 53 Governor last year. She has been a Toastmaster for three years.

Walker will participate in the DTM Walk at the District 77 spring conference in Birmingham in May. Distinguished Toastmasters from Alabama, Florida and Mississippi will laud her achievement during the DTM Walk.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Walker among Distinguished Toastmasters

CRESTVIEW —  Usually, Ricky Bowdren and Sarena Robbins avoid asking for charity, but a recent car crash has left them no other choice.

The engaged couple were in Austin, Texas March 16 when they were involved in a serious collision.

Changed lives

"An oncoming car crossed three lanes of traffic into our lane and hit us head on," Sarena said on www.gofundme.com/7ykds4, the couple's fundraising website. "We saw the car coming and tried to swerve away from it, but it all happened so fast we didn’t have time to move out of the way."

The other driver was at fault, according to an investigator's opinion as recorded in a Texas peace officer's crash report.

Sarena had a shattered right hip and a fractured pelvis; Ricky's kneecap broke in three locations. Both received multiple staples and stitches following the incident.

Now, the couple are living much different lives than before the accident. Ricky said he has limited mobility and can't bend his right leg. He uses a walking crutch to get around; Sarena uses a walker.

And damage from the accident wasn't just physical. The couple said they have recurring nightmares about the crash.  

Meanwhile, the bills are a concern.  

Bills times two

"There is a lot that we have to still pay for. Things like prescriptions, food, personal needs, getting back and forth to the doctors appointments, which is a lot, medical equipment and supplies," Sarena said.

"That’s a lot of money that adds up really fast just for one person going through all of this, not to mention both of us going through this."

Ricky has Medicare, but Sarena said some local physicians won't help them due to inability to pay.

 Sarena said she attempted to sign up for medical coverage with the federal government's Healthcare Insurance Marketplace website, but said she has no money to cover the expense.

Asking for help

So far, friends, family members and a Texas church have helped with monetary and other donations. They've received $1,831 toward their $10,000 goal as of this writing, according to gofundme.com.

Now, the couple seeks the community's assistance.

"I would prefer not to ask people for help; we are both very prideful people," Sarena said.

"We don't know what to do," Ricky said.

That's the case for their work lives, too. Just before moving to Austin, the couple had a local cleaning business that they handed to a friend.

They saw unsuccessful results in Austin, so they decided to return here and start another cleaning business. 

Starting over will take awhile.

 Ricky's mother, Vonnie Bowdren, retrieved the couple after the incident; they have since been staying at her Crestview residence.  

"I'm here for the long haul," she said. "I figure it's going to take at least a year before they can get through this." 

And getting through this situation is the goal, Sarena said.  

"We want our normal quality of life back," she said. "We're for real, we are legit, (and) we need help." 

HOW TO HELP

You can donate toward Ricky Bowdren and Sarena Robbins' recovery account at www.gofundme.com/7ykds4. Residents can reach them at sarenarobbins@yahoo.com or 603-2971

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Couple's life changes following car crash, mounting expenses

CRESTVIEW — A downtown coffeeshop that rapidly gained landmark status and a devoted following is closing its doors April 25 after three years on Main Street.

The Journey Java Connection is a community outreach program of Journey Church, a United Methodist Community led by the Rev. Sean Peters. His wife, Sandra Peters, runs the café.

The Journey Java filled a downtown niche through programs such as feeding underprivileged and homeless people, hosting adult and kids art and theatre lessons, hosting a backroom thrift store and serving as a downtown art gallery.

The establishment's eclectic combination of weekend open-mic nights and scheduled concerts by a variety of entertainers in multiple genres drew a steady crowd to Main Street.

In between, Sandra Peters served an endless variety of teas and coffees — often letting customers create their own concoctions — accompanied by fresh baked muffins, bagels and pastries.

Pastor reassignment

A decision by the regional Alabama/West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church to close the Crestview mission and transfer Sean Peters to a Panama City church came at a decisive time for the café.

The Journey Java's popularity and steady flow of regulars was not enough to make it profitable when faced with a rent that topped $1,500 a month, despite an often brisk lunchtime trade for Sandra Peters' creative sandwiches, soups and desserts.

Though the Peters' impending departure leaves a void on Main Street as well as in the hearts of devoted Journey Java fans and Journey Church members, the couple leaves behind a legacy supporters intend to continue.

View From the Stage, Crestview's community theatre troupe, which Sandra Peters helped establish, will continue and hopes to offer summer kids' acting courses again, as well as fall and spring stage productions, president Berit Faust said.

The North Okaloosa Artists art guild, which got its start at Journey Java, now meets twice monthly at the Crestview Senior Center in Old Spanish Trail Park.

Journey Church members have been welcomed into the First United Methodist Church and St. Mark United Methodist Church families, Sean Peters said.

The Peterses said leaving Crestview, the Journey Java and their many friends is bittersweet.

"We are amazed at what God has done and the wonderful people He has brought into our lives as we have committed to serving our community," they stated in a Facebook posting. "We pray that our being here has been a blessing to you."

Community farewells

Journey Java Connection customers have shared fond and heartfelt farewells on the coffee shop's Facebook page.

Here are some of their comments:

• "So sorry to hear you are closing. We enjoyed our visits there and the food. God bless you all!"— Jepye Paul Hendrix

• "I am sorry to hear The Journey Java Connection is closing. I have always enjoyed any time spent there, from drinking great coffee to attending art classes and having great conversations with … Sandra. I wish you and your family many blessings as you continue on your journey in God's path." — Julia Quintrell Phillips

• "Crestview is losing a treasure." — Julie Garrey Bywater

• "God never closes one door without opening another." — Jane Quintrell Chapman

• "We are so disappointed! You guys are such sweet people, doing wonderful things for the kids and community. You will be greatly missed! Wish we could do something to make you all stay!" — Dana Harvey Odom

• "I'm sad to see that it's closing but I know God did wonderful work through this coffee house ministry. Blessings to each and every one of you!" — Amanda Pickens

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Last cup of Java: Journey Java and Journey Church closing