When the Rev. Heath Burchett announced in 2008 he'd been called to another church, First United Methodist Church members were heartbroken.

However, loss of the church's young youth minister and associate pastor and his energetic wife, Amanda, was another ministry's gain.

Since leaving Crestview, the Burchetts have been building a mission the couple founded in Belize City, Belize.

Full story in the Feb. 5-7 edition!

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: COVER STORY: Former Crestview pastor's Belize mission makes a difference

CRESTVIEW — Terell Burgess appreciates getting AARP volunteers' free tax filing advice at the Crestview Public Library.

"It is very beneficial coming to the library, rather than going to somewhere else and spending $50 and $100," he said. "I highly recommend this to other people."   

Volunteers will assist low- to moderate-income residents four days a week through April 15. 

Many residents from North Okaloosa and parts of southern Alabama have traveled to Crestview just to get their taxes ready for the IRS,  second-year volunteer Irene Maier said.

Volunteers say a growing number of area residents seek assistance.

'"It has increased over the years," 11-year volunteer Louise Eastridge said.

Each volunteer receives a week of training, either in person or online, and must pass an Internal Revenue Service test, certifying them as tax preparation counselors.

Depending on the number of people who sign in and the complexity of their tax returns, Eastridge said volunteers try to see as many people as they can between each period.

But their help is in limited supply.

"We have to cut it off at some point," she said.

WANT TO GO?

WHAT: AARP Tax Aide Preparation

WHEN: 2-5 p.m. Mondays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.  

WHERE: Crestview Public Library, 1445 Commerce Drive

COST: Free

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown at 850-682-6524 or matthewb@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbMatthew.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: AARP volunteers offer free tax preparation

CRESTVIEW — Jane McCreary and Joe Jones, Master Gardener interns, aren't yet tree planting experts, but they're learning quickly.

"We're getting there," Jones said. "It's fun. If you like nature and gardening and growing things, this is a very enjoyable group to join."

McCreary and Jones are earning hours toward their certification with various activities, including Monday's tree-planting at the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Services County Extension office. About a dozen volunteers showed up recently to help plant trees around the extension's Crestview branch.

"This piece of property already had a fairly good collection of native plants and we're adding to that," Larry Williams, county extension director, said. The tender young trees will form part of the county extension stormwater management program and enhance the quarter-mile nature trail through the woods behind the Airport Road facility.

"The purpose of the trail, and ultimately the landscape, will be educational. We will eventually label a lot of the plants," Williams said. "Also, it's an attempt to bring better awareness to people about the wealth of native plants that are suitable for landscape and encourage use of those plants."

Volunteers enjoyed the fellowship among green thumbs.

"I just retired and I thought, 'I want to do something,'" Rusty Weenink said as he helped Master Gardeners President Stacey Taylor and member Les Chambers plant a Southern sugar maple.

University of West Florida environmental studies students Jessica Kaono and Elizabeth Steele were among the volunteers who partnered with Master Gardeners to learn planting techniques.

Former Master Gardeners president John Bauer helped Steele plant a crabapple tree as extension horticulture agent Sheila Dunning  supervised the planting and delivered wheelbarrows full of saplings.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Gardening experts-in-training enhance county extension grounds, nature trail

Dr. Erica Elaine Syklawer and Dr. Neel Mukul Kumar were united in marriage at 6 p.m. Jan. 18, 2014 at the First Presbyterian Church in New Orleans. The Rev. Frederick Powell officiated at the ceremony.

The couple's parents are Dr. and Mrs. Ricardo Syklawer of Dothan, Ala., and Mr. and Mrs. Mukul Kumar of Snohomish, Wash.  Dr. Erica Syklawer Kumar is the granddaughter of Edith Newton Hilburn of Crestview, and the late Howard Edward Hilburn.  

The bride's father gave her in marriage. Dr. Alex Kosmidis and Dr. Cassidy Koonce presented the music, playing piano and organ and violin, respectively. 

The bride's sisters, Dr. Allison Syklawer Tutwiler, Dallas, and Sarah Brooke Syklawer, Birmingham, Ala., and the groom's sister, Monica Renu Kumar, Mobile, Ala., presented the Scriptures.

Dr. Allison Syklawer served as matron of honor. Sarah Syklawer served as maid of honor. Monica Kumar; Jennifer Leigh Tosch, Mobile; Dr. Christine Elizabeth Jabcuga, Burlington, Vt., and Dr. Rashmi Sajjan Rajendra, New Orleans, were bridesmaids.

Vijay Kumar, Seattle, Wash., the groom's brother, and Jason Paul Tornquist, Seattle, served as best men. Dr. Araya Negash, East Lansing, Mich.; Dr. Tony C. Chang, San Francisco, Calif.; Casey Joe Jones, Everett, Wash.; and Dr. Vikram T. Saini, New Orleans, were groomsmen.

Following the ceremony, the bride’s parents hosted a reception  at the Waldorf Astoria Ballroom in the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans. The groom’s parents entertained the wedding party with a rehearsal dinner at Pat O’Brien’s on the River.

After honeymooning on Bora Bora Island, the couple will live in New York City to begin their fellowship programs in July 2014 after completing their residency programs.

The News Bulletin publishes north Okaloosa County residents' “Special Occasions”— birth, centenarian, engagement, wedding and anniversary announcements— at no charge. We may edit submissions for length and style. Call 850-682-6524 or send us an email for more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: WEDDING: Syklawer and Kumar wed

The Carver-Hill Memorial & Historical Society's annual Black History Program is 7 p.m. Feb. 8 at the Carver-Hill Center on School Avenue in Crestview.

This year's guest speaker is U.S. Army Col. Arvesta Roberson, a Crestview native and Crestview High School graduate. His mother is Rae Roberson of Crestview.

Contact society president George Stakley, 803-3459, for more details.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Black History Program coming Feb. 8

Have you heard about geocaching on the Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative Heritage Trail?

Geocachers use GPS-enabled devices to locate containers called geocaches, which contain questions with answers found nearby.

All you have to do is answer the questions and log them on your geocaching passport. Then, bring your passport to any OCPLC member library. If you correctly answered six of the eight questions you will receive a custom OCPLC Heritage prize coin commemorating Viva Florida 500.

You can download a passport once you join the OCPLC Heritage Trail. Free registration is required at www.geocaching.com. Just choose a Geocaching ID and once you are registered, the fun begins.

All of you Crestview and North Okaloosa geocachers, get out on the trail and find your cache! Coins are available until supplies are depleted.

Jean Lewis is the Crestview Public Library's director.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CHECK IT OUT: Geocaching in progress for Viva Florida anniversary

The News Bulletin received the following open notices Thursday:

•Okaloosa County Sheriff's Offices open at 1 p.m.

•All Gulf Power customer offices open at noon. All collection activities are suspended through Feb. 3.  Power was restored Thursday to the rest of the utility's 47,873 customers who lost power due to the storm that started Tuesday. 

•Evening classes starting at 4:30 p.m.or later at all Northwest Florida State College campuses have resumed and normal office hours will resume at 8 a.m. Friday at all campuses.

The offices listed below have announced they will be closed Jan. 30 due to weather conditions.

OKALOOSA COUNTY

•Okaloosa County schools

•Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners office.

•The Okaloosa County Supervisor of Elections Offices in Crestview and Fort Walton Beach. Offices will reopen at 8 a.m. Jan. 31. Details: Paul Lux, plux@co.okaloosa.fl.us. •Okaloosa County Tax Collector's offices.

NORTHWEST FLORIDA

•Catholic Charities offices in Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach and Panama City.

•Day classes at Northwest Florida State College campuses. Any decisions to cancel evening classes will be announced by 2 p.m. Thursday. All college locations will be closed Jan. 30 during normal business hours. College operations, classes, and events will resume Friday. Updates available through the college website and its Facebook and Twitter sites.

UTILITIES

Additionally, to reduce the peak demand for power, Choctawhatchee Electrical Cooperative requests that customers conserve energy  5:30-8:30 a.m. Thursday morning as follows: •    Limit the use of hot water by postponing showers, baths, dishes and laundry. •    Turn off unnecessary lights and appliances. •    Lower the thermostat to 68 degrees. “Controlling peak demand can help reduce power costs,” Steve Wolfrom, CHELCO’s vice president of member services, stated."The severe cold has the potential of greatly increasing the cost of wholesale power … members can help limit peak demand for power,  which in turn limits the increase in costs,” Wolfrom said. “Controlling demand also helps long-term. Our power supplier must have adequate generating resources in place to meet our greatest demand for electricity. Reducing peak demand is a way of controlling the need to build more generating capacity.”

As of noon on Wednesday, the utility was working on on three outages affecting 21 members. Between Tuesday and Wednesday,  2,440 members were without power at one time or another. Most outages were caused by ice and downed tree limbs. 

If you know of additional closures in your area, email dates and closure times to the Crestview News Bulletin.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Thursday building closures announced; openings added