CRESTVIEW — Several events today will allow north Okaloosa County residents to leave the house and enjoy fine spring weather.

Whether noshing barbecue, getting a car wash, swinging a golf club, petting a horse or choosing summer beach reading, there's something for a variety of interests.

Here's a rundown of events:

Baker School band 'Swing for the Music'

From 8-11 a.m., Foxwood Country Club, 4927 Antioch Road, hosts a second annual charity golf tournament benefiting the Sound of the Swamp. All proceeds go toward the band's travel, equipment and uniform expenses.

Registration is $50 per player, or $40 for Foxwood club members, and includes lunch. Door prizes will be awarded and a silent auction includes a one-night stay for two in Biloxi, Miss.

Crestview High School chorus carwash and bake sale

The award-winning, 130-voice high school chorus will wash cars for donations from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Carquest, 689 N. Ferdon Blvd., and AutoZone, 2045 S. Ferdon Blvd., in Crestview.

At the same time, the chorus will hold a bake sale at Sears, 1133 Industrial Drive. Funds from both events benefit the school's choral music program, including travel expenses and maintaining performance wardrobes and equipment.

Friends of the Crestview Library book sale

Thousands of books and videos in multiple genres pack the Crestview Public Library meeting room and fill tables on the front porch during the Friends of the Library's semi-annual book sale, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and tomorrow.

All proceeds support the library, including its new-book acquisition fund, which this year's city budget excluded.

Triple B Blackwater, Bluegrass and BBQ Cook-Off

From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Crestview's downtown historic district will be filled with the aroma of freshly smoked barbecue and will echo with local groups’ music during the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual community barbecue festival.

Music stages at either end of Main Street bracket the four-block festival. In between, there's a variety of food, fun, art and — new this year — local artists displaying their talents. Admission is free.

Safe Haven Horse Rescue Celebration

Everything equine will be celebrated from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Safe Haven Horse Rescue farm, 8321 Stokes Road, Laurel Hill. Country singer Ed Tanza will entertain as visitors tour the stables, pet horses and participate in an auction.

Admission is $5 for adults; free for children age 6 or younger. A hamburger or hotdog lunch will be $5 for adults; free for children 6 and under. Bring a lawn chair to relax and enjoy the music.

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: North county events take advantage of spring weather

CRESTVIEW — An upright piano sitting by John King Road excited the interest of passing neighbors in the Cherokee Bend subdivision earlier this week. Social media was instantly a-twitter at the sight.

However, unlike the grand piano that appeared on a sandbar off the coast of Mary Esther earlier this week, there was little mystery surrounding the southeast Crestview instrument. The owner simply wanted it out of her house.

"It's been in my house for three or four years," resident Emily Sanders said. "My son kept saying he's coming to get it, he's coming to get it. I finally gave him an ultimatum: 'Come and get it or I'm putting it out by the road.'"

Sanders said her son-in-law was originally going to put the piano out by the road several years ago, but her son wanted it for his own son to take piano lessons.

When a group of family and friends came to Sanders' home for Easter dinner, she realized she had the moving crew needed to schlep the piano out of the house.

With a "free piano" sign next to it, it wasn't long until a passing motorist stopped to examine the instrument Tuesday evening and promised to come back with the manpower and a vehicle to move it out of Sanders' carport.

Sanders estimated the piano, which bears no manufacturer's name, to be about 50 or 60 years old. She knows little else about it, except, "it's very, very heavy, and has three or four years of dust and dirt in it."

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Roadside piano sparks passing neighbors' interest

CRESTVIEW — The Public Works Department has begun construction on a $2.4 million water well, storage tank and distribution system on Old Bethel Road.

For about two weeks, Evans Contracting crews have buried 10-inch diameter PVC pipe south on the winding country road from the well site at the Old Bethel Cemetery curve. At the same time, Speegle Construction has begun site work for the well and tank.

Okaloosa County officials have indicated the road might one day form the northwest component of a Crestview city bypass route, linking at U.S. Highway 90 with the proposed P.J. Adams Parkway-Antioch Road bypass coming up from the southwest.

City planning officials forecast the city's next wave of growth will occur in the Old Bethel Road area. The Crestview Fire Department seeks funding to build a firehouse on Old Bethel Road to serve the expected growth and existing neighborhoods, including developments off Sioux Circle.

Fire Chief Joe Traylor said Old Bethel neighborhoods are underserved because emergency response vehicles must travel from the downtown or P.J. Adams Parkway public safety buildings.

The new well and distribution system — engineered by water system consultants Tetra Tech — will link with city water distribution lines serving as far south as the Taylor Farms subdivision being constructed on P.J. Adams Parkway, Public Works Director Wayne Steele said.

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: New well system to support expected growth in northwest Crestview

PENSACOLA — Due to increased blood transfusions in area hospitals, the need for blood donations, especially O Negative, is “extremely high,” Northwest Florida Blood Centers stated in a press release.

All first-time or dedicated donors are urged to call NFBS or visit nfbcblood.org  to locate a convenient blood center or bloodmobile drive location and donate as soon as possible.

The Crestview Donor Center is at 2400 S. Ferdon Blvd., Suite B. Hours are 12-5 p.m. Sunday; 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday and Thursday; and 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday and Friday. Call 306-2455 for more information.

O Negative blood donors are universal donors, meaning any patient can receive it regardless of the recipient’s blood type. Trauma patients, premature babies and those receiving emergency surgery rely on O Negative, which is at critical level.

ELIGIBILITY

Healthy people age 16 or older who weigh at least 110 pounds can donate blood.

Call the Crestview Donor Center at 306-2455 for additional eligibility questions.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Blood centers announce urgent need for O Negative blood

CRESTVIEW — American Legion’s James McCollough Post 395 members, in conjunction with Crestview Sharing and Caring, recently kicked off a food drive.

The group seeks the public's help in collecting 250 pounds of food a month through 2013. The items will be distributed to needy Crestview residents.

Types of nonperishable foods wanted are canned meats, canned fruits and vegetables, peanut butter, shelf-stable meals, pasta, rice and cereals.

Drop off donations 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays at 2260 S. Ferdon Blvd., Unit 35.

Contact Robert Williams, food drive coordinator, at 682-0287 for more details.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: American Legion post collecting food for Crestview residents

BAKER —  Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church’s Easter Egg Drop is from 10 a.m. to noon at the church on State Road 4.

Children in preschool through fifth grade may participate in Easter egg related activities ─including an egg relay, egg roll and egg toss.

 But the main attraction will be the egg drop. A plane will release 5,000 plastic, candy-filled eggs onto a nearby field. Children can then scramble to find them.   

"It seems to be getting more attention every year," said Larry Wade, a retired airline pilot facilitating the event. "Last year, we had nearly 500 kids in attendance." 

Wade will pilot his personal single-engine airplane while Sharron, his wife, drops eggs over the nearby field.

"It’s a good feeling and its our way of contributing to the community," Wade said. "Plus, I get to fly my plane."

 The couple got involved three years ago after being approached by the church for the event.

"They don't charge us anything, which is a really nice thing for them to do," said Darren Williams, children's pastor of the church.

The church will provide free lunch for attendees; there will be door prizes, too, Williams said.

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: Baker church plans Saturday morning Easter Egg Drop

BAKER — The North Okaloosa Historical Association seeks nominations for the 2013 Family Heritage Wall of Honor. Nominations are due April 5.

Contributors to the formation or positive enhancement of Okaloosa County’s communities are eligible and may be nominated posthumously. Honorees’ names will appear on the Family Heritage Wall of Honor plaque in Baker Block Museum’s library. An accompanying book will include a biographical page per inductee.

Each inductee will be an honored guest during a recognition ceremony hosted by the North Okaloosa Historical Association at 10 a.m. May 18 at the museum.

ContactBaker Block Museum, 537-5714 or bakermuseum@aol.com, for more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Family heritage nominees wanted for Baker Wall of Honor

CRESTVIEW — Florida law enforcement agencies reportedly have raised more than $500,000 for the Special Olympics.

Officers across the state carried torches, sold commemorative T-shirts and hats and collected corporate donations for the sports organization that celebrates intellectually disabled people’s achievements.

"The money will be filtered into each county to use on Special Olympics," said Kim Christopher, Okaloosa Special Olympics’ administrative assistant.

Officers from the Crestview Police Department, Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office and Florida Highway Patrol on Wednesday morning gathered in the Publix Supermarket parking lot for this year's Law Enforcement Torch Run. The officers took turns carrying the torch as they ran up south Ferdon Boulevard. Police cruisers escorted them from the parking lot to the Veterans Memorial in Downtown Crestview. 

"Its all in the name of Special Olympics," said Sheriff’s Office Capt. Ron Gay, who helped coordinate the event.

Officers who serve in other parts of the county, including Fort Walton Beach and Niceville, joined in.

"This annual event is geared towards awareness, so we do what we can,” said Kathy Duke, an officer from the Fort Walton Beach Police Department.

The Crestview event was one of two torch events for the officers; several also ran in Fort Walton Beach later that day. The torch run had taken place in Escambia and Santa Rosa County, prior to Wednesday's event.

Many of the officers, including Crestview community service police officer Wanda Hulion, met some of the athletes involved.

"This is what is it all about," she said. "It’s about doing what we can to support them."

 Several of the Special Olympics coaches cheered for the officers as they finished the run at the memorial. However, although they appreciate the officers’ efforts, the volunteers said they would like to see more community involvement.

"A lot of people are not aware that we do have programs up here for Special Olympics," coach Kathy Ellis said.

See specialolympicsokaloosa.org for more information on the Okaloosa County Special Olympics.

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: Officers raise $500K statewide for Special Olympics