CRESTVIEW — Uriah Oldacre knows that when his father is mowing the lawn he can’t go outside. When he’s caught a fish he can’t touch it and when he’s at the river he can only look at the water, never play in it.

The 5-year-old boy from DeFuniak Springs knows his limits because he has chronic granulomatous disease, a rare genetic disorder that prevents his immune system cells from functioning properly.

“There are things he wants to do, especially at the age he’s at, but he can’t do them,” Uriah’s mother, 29-year-old Jessica Oldacre, said at her son’s day care center in Crestview. “That’s why we are going through with the stem cell transplant.”

In May, the small brown-haired boy will undergo transplant surgery that will enable him to attend public school, play football and live a relatively normal life for a person with an immune deficiency.

“I’m scared to death,” said Uriah’s father, 30-year-old John Oldacre. “If you look at him, he looks healthy, happy. It’s a very scary thing to know your son has to have a transplant. I don’t really know how to prepare for that one.”

According to the National Institutes of Health, one in 200,000 people have Uriah’s hereditary disease, which leaves them susceptible to even the slightest infections.

His parents say the surgery is the best way to ensure he lives a long life.

The procedure is predicted to cost upwards of $30,000 after insurance, and his parents are asking for help to raise the money.

“They’re going to have to live in Bethesda, Md., until Uriah is able to come home, which will be about three months,” said Uriah’s maternal grandmother, Sue Lusk. “It’s not something they can afford.”

Uriah will be in the hospital for at least one month after the surgery. Then he and his parents will have to live off-site for another two months. Unlike families who can use hospital-funded facilities, Uriah must avoid any possible infections, which adds to the cost.

“I got in touch with COTA (Children’s Organ Transplant Association), and they’ve helped with fundraising ideas,” Jessica said. “Whatever happens, we’ll figure it out. We’ve got a few things in the works, then at the end of April we’ll see where we are when the dust settles.

“We’ll do what we have to do.”

Coming up is a bowling tournament April 20 at Shoal River Lanes Bowling, a golf tournament at DeFuniak Springs Country Club and a softball tourney in April. Jessica said COTA also has set up a website for donations to go through.

“Every dollar is accounted for by COTA and it’s all so that we can get Uriah this transplant and be there with him,” Jessica said.

WANT TO HELP?

Visit Uriah Oldacre’s website at www.cotaforuriaho.com.

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Angel McCurdy at 850-315-4432 or amccurdy@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @AngelMnwfdn.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Son’s pending stem cell transplant leaves parents strapped

CRESTVIEW — Firefighters were at the scene of a suspicious fire for nearly 16 hours Wednesday and Thursday.

First responders were called to 604 South Wilson Street at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday when smoke and flames were spotted in the abandoned home, according to Crestview Fire Battalion Chief Marquis Johnson.

At the time, the home did not have any power.

Johnson said the home was a total loss and estimated $15,000 in damages were caused. Officials were at the fire scene until 6:30 a.m. Thursday.

The State Fire Marshal's Office is investigating.  

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Officials investigating suspicious Crestview fire

Richard and Debbie Reeves announced the engagement and forthcoming marriage of their daughter, Adeana June Reeves, to Jonathan Dale Majors. Jonathan is the son of Ricky Majors, the late Debbie Majors and stepmother Wanda G. Majors. 

Adeana, who recently earned her Bachelor of Science in Education at Northwest Florida State College, is a first-grade teacher at Laurel Hill School. Jonathan works for the City of Niceville. Both are Laurel Hill School graduates.

 An April 20, 2013 wedding is planned at First Baptist Church in Florala, Ala. The couple plans to make their home in Laurel Hill.

The News Bulletin publishes north Okaloosa County residents' engagement, wedding and anniversary announcements at no charge. Submissions may be edited for length and style. Call 682-6524 or email news@crestviewbulletin.com for more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SPECIAL OCCASIONS: Reeves and Majors announce engagement

CRESTVIEW — With the flap of a vinyl strip, a gentle shower of plaster dust and a clatter of dislodged wooden furring strips, a downtown architectural gem long hidden behind a plastic façade was once more unveiled.

The single-story commercial building on the 200 block of Main Street, now the site of Brad Stewart's law practice, is receiving a complete restoration. A $9,000 Community Redevelopment Agency façade improvement grant administered by the Main Street Crestview Association is partially funding restoration of the building's exterior, which is estimated to cost $18,000.

"My family is one of the pioneering families in the area," Stewart said. "We're excited about tackling this project and what the final result will be."

Most interior renovation of the 1928 building, which appears on the National Register of Historic Places, is completed, Stewart said. The high ceiling is hand-planed tongue-and-groove pine. A period light fixture hangs in the lobby’s reception area. The floor is newly milled heart pine.

"We try to keep everything era-specific as best we could," Stewart said.

Some of the interior walls are reclaimed period brick. The conference room’s wooden door features carved wood ornamentation and is set with a large, stained glass window. Janet Hurst, a member of the local Gilliland family, gave Stewart the door, which used to hang in the family's home.

As workers from Brad Stewart's brother Jeremy Stewart's general contracting firm pulled down vinyl siding strips from the Main Street façade, thick stucco, painted deep maroon, was revealed.

On the north side of the building's front, an unexpected treat surfaced: a long closed up door decorated with a 1960s butterfly motif had been preserved behind the vinyl.

"That was a real hidden gem," Brad Stewart said. "It was exciting to expose that door and see that picture there."

The doorway originally opened onto a long hallway, at the end of which was a dentist's office, he said. Main Street passersby had not seen the door in more than 40 years.

Stewart hopes to remove the stucco on the front façade and restore the original brick.

"The plaster they used back then was so incredibly thick it may be damaging to try to remove it," he said. A patch of the almost inch-thick stucco remains on one of the interior walls to show visitors how thick it is.

Stewart is considering commissioning a mural for the north-side wall, which faces an alley.

As workers Tommy Rogers and Ronald Hilliard removed the vinyl siding, Stewart watched as old stucco and the location of old commercial signs were revealed.

"There are certainly easier ways to go about renovating an old building, and cheaper," Stewart said. "But we're trying as much as we can to make it authentic."

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: 1920s Main Street gem undergoes a facelift

CRESTVIEW — The Rotary Club of Crestview, which has grown to 29 members, often accomplishes projects that outpace clubs of larger size, according to a spokesperson who cited the Wild Game Feast and Quail Hunt as examples. 

This year's feast, the event's 20th, was sold out, with nearly 500 guests. Proceeds benefited Northwest Florida State College and other local charities. 

Crestview Mayor David Cadle recently presented the club with a proclamation declaring Feb. 23 Rotary Day, recognizing Rotary International’s 108th birthday.

The organization’s theme this year is "Peace through Service,” which local Rotarians have underscored by supporting several programs.

  The Crestview Rotary and the Okaloosa and Walton clubs hosted a family-oriented conflict resolution workshop titled "To Build Peace in the Community."

Other projects included their first Corn Maze, held over five weekends; annual distribution of dictionaries to all north Okaloosa third-graders and U.S. Constitutions to all north Okaloosa seventh-graders; Adopt-a-Classroom; sponsoring scholarships to attend Camp Skamp; support for foster children's Christmas gifts; ongoing support to Children in Crisis; water projects in South America; Polio Plus, Rotary's project to eliminate polio worldwide; a wheelchair project in Costa Rica; and individual scholarships for deceased members’ children.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview branch celebrates Rotary International's 108 birthday

BAKER —   Residents and their dogs can support cancer awareness next month at Bark for Life, an American Cancer Society fundraiser.

This will be the second year that Southside Animal Hospital has organized the Relay for Life event, which is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 2 at the Baker Recreation Center.

Last year's event took place at Old Spanish Trail Park in Crestview. Event organizers decided to move the event to a slightly larger venue in hopes of expanding attendance.

"We did really good last year," Kim Hathcock, of Southside, said. "We had about 100 people attend.”

Still, “we are trying to get more communities involved in this event, including Baker and Holt,” she said.

In the new location, children can play in the facilities’ playground area.

They also can play in a bounce house and have their faces painted, among other kid-friendly activities.

Food and refreshments will be available, and gift baskets with gift certificates, event T-shirts and dog treats, will be raffled off at the event.

Several dogs from Eglin Air Force Base’s Pet Welfare adoption center will be available for adoption.

In addition, the event will feature games for dogs, including "weenie races" for Dotsons.

This year’s donations reportedly have surpassed last year’s; the clinic has raised more than $3,000 for the cause. Last year, it raised $2,200, $1,300 of which came from Bark for Life.

"We are just doing our part to help," Hathcock said, adding that the clinic also contributed some proceeds from rabies immunization clinics.

Participants can pre-register at the clinic on south Pearl Street during regular business hours.

Participants also can register at the event; cost is $10 per family.

Proof of rabies vaccinations must be provided to register.

Last year was successful for the clinic’s feline-themed team. The "Purr-fect Pacers," who have nearly 20 members, were named Crestview’s rookie team of the year.

The clinic’s staffers became involved with Relay for Life after noticing the impact that cancer had on several pet owners who have visited their facility, Hathcock said, referring to clients who died from cancer or survived the disease.

Those encounters raised awareness when the idea struck close to home for the dog groomer.

"I guess you could say that I proposed the idea of the event after I had a breast cancer scare two years ago,” she said, noting she has remained cancer free.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Bark for Life cancer fundraiser coming to Baker March 2