CRESTVIEW — Twenty lower-income Cougars at Northwood Elementary School will soon benefit from a regional weekend food program.

The Bay Area Food Bank's Backpack Program supplements free breakfasts and hot lunches provided at local schools during the week through governmental assistance, Kelli Davis, the food bank’s child nutrition coordinator, said.

“The schools identify students who may not receive enough food over the weekend at home,” Davis said. “Some families are having a rough time. Families are struggling. It’s not those elementary kids’ fault.”

The local Kiwanis Club presented nearly $2,000 to the Backpack Program to fund the effort. Bags of food are slipped into student recipients’ backpacks, hence the program’s name. Each student receives two breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks for the weekend, Davis said.

The foods — packaged so kids can easily prepare the meals themselves — include selections such as microwaveable spaghetti rings, she said. The food is purchased in bulk using donations such as the $1,820 provided by the Crestview Kiwanis Club, which will feed 20 students at $3.50 a meal.

Northwood reportedly is the first north county school to benefit from the program.

The program will be in place by the third or fourth week in January, Northwood Elementary reading resources teacher and guidance counselor Martha Barton said.

“This is a very good way to very discreetly help our children,” Barton said, adding that slipping meals into students’ backpacks does not overtly single them out as recipients of charity.

Assisting needy children is one of the Kiwanis club’s goals, club President Malcolm Haynes said.

 “We’re proud to help our area children,” he said.

The Bay Area Food Bank’s Panhandle branch in Milton will administer the program. The food bank serves the central Gulf Coast including Alabama, Florida and Mississippi.

If donors step forward, the program could expand to other area schools, including Baker and Laurel Hill Schools, Davis said.

“We look at their 50 percent or more reduced lunch lists,” she said. “It has to be sponsored by somebody before we can start it, so that’s why it was so helpful that Kiwanis could fund the program at Northwood.”

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: Kiwanis donation launches school food bank program

FORT WALTON BEACH — As the generosity of the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays fades, many local food pantries are bracing for the annual dry spell.

Some organizations that overflowed with donated food just a few weeks ago already are seeing their supplies start to dwindle.

 “During the holidays it was fantastic,” said Pennie Lucas, director of Caring and Sharing of South Walton.

“People just gave really tremendously, but now the pantry is low. It drops off so bad … but people still have to eat.”

The pantry on Lynn Drive in Santa Rosa Beach is busier than it’s ever been, feeding about 700 new people in December.

That same increase is being seen in Niceville and Fort Walton Beach.

“(The need) is always there,” said Nancy Manley, a volunteer at Sharing and Caring of Fort Walton Beach. “We’re getting 100 new people every month.”

The first few months of the year can be challenging for food pantries because people are getting back to their normal routines and donations tend to be low on their list of priorities.

“I think at Christmastime you have a good heart and you’re thinking of helping other people,” Manley said. “After Christmas, you just get busy with your own life.”

Terry Bridgford, manager of the food pantry at Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida, said he tries to make food supplies last longer this time of year.

“This is when it slows down,” he said. “I have to try and stagger things.”

Bridgford said the food pantry is distributing 20 more bags of food a day compared to last year.

The key to surviving the winter and replenishing local pantries is continually making the public aware of the need, Lucas said.

“My suggestion is when you go to the grocery store, just buy one extra can,” she said. “One can makes a difference.”

Lucas said her pantry particularly needs juices and baby food.

“I always have a lot of children,” she added.

Lucas and Manley said many people who seek help at their pantries have come to the area looking for work.

“People are starting slowly to go back to work, but it’s not full-time work,” Lucas said. “It doesn’t cover everything.”

At Sharing and Caring of Niceville, holiday donations are still plentiful, but volunteers say it will dwindle quickly in the coming weeks.

“We are very fortunate,” said Lynn Watson, who has volunteered at the pantry for 10 months. “This is actually a good time for us.”

Volunteers at all of the pantries said they could use staples such as hearty canned soups, cereals, canned vegetables, macaroni and cheese, pancake mix and laundry soap.

“If anything, the need increases (after the holidays),” Bridgford said. “It’s heartbreaking sometimes. Times are tough for a lot of people.”

WANT TO HELP?

    Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida, 244-2825

    Sharing and Caring of Niceville, 678-8459

    Sharing and Caring of Fort Walton Beach, 244-0778

    Caring and Sharing of South Walton, 267-2866

    Sharing and Caring of Crestview, 682-1907

    Striving for Perfection, 362-6977

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Kari Barlow at 850-315-4438 or kbarlow@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KariBnwfdn.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Food pantries see donations dwindle as demand rises after holidays

FORT WALTON BEACH — Officials with the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society don’t know much about the dog or her 10 puppies that came in Wednesday. They don‘t know her name, what breed she is exactly or where she came from.

For now, the dog is going by the name ‘Mom’ and the 10 pups are still scurrying around with eyes shut and whimper anytime they feel disoriented in the cage they share with their mother.

The family of 11 was brought in to a Laurel Hill animal shelter Dec. 20 after the puppies were already born, according to Tricia Bryant, the director of the Humane Society and Adoption Center at PAWS.

View a photogallery of the canine family.

Bryant said that while getting large litters is not unusual for her animal shelter, it’s not the normal time frame for it. “Puppy Season,” as she calls it, is typically from March to April.

Bryant said she believes the tiny canines are between two to three weeks old.

The mother is likely part pit bull, but Bryant said the puppies breed won‘t be known until they are several weeks older.

Three of the puppies came in with abscesses on their necks, but all the puppies are doing well now.

Once the puppies are weaned, they will be split up and put into foster care until they are eight to 10 weeks old and ready for adoption.

“The mother is very sweet and the puppies are so cute — one even has a heart on its paw — I’m sure they will be adopted quickly,” Bryant said.

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: Litter of puppies finds home at PAWS

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE — 2012 was the year the F-35 finally took off at Eglin Air Force Base.

Not only did the military’s newest fighter jet soar into the sky over Eglin for the first and then the 700th time, but the 33rd Fighter Wing continued to ramp up its training center to become the hub for everyone learning to fly or maintain the plane.

“I think overall as a whole it was an outstanding year for the 33rd Fighter Wing and all the men and women and the accomplishments we had,” said Air Force Col. Andrew Toth, commander of the wing.

Although controversy over cost and production setbacks have plagued the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program for many years, the joint-command wing at Eglin finally was able to meet several significant milestones in 2012.

A pilot took off in an F-35 for the first time March 6. Since then, pilots have taken 739 flights, moving the jet from test flight mode to operational capacity, said Marine Col. Art Tomassetti, vice commander of the 33rd.

The base received its first Marine Corps variant, the F-35B, which was designed for short takeoff and vertical landing, early in 2012. The Marines then shipped off a crew to stand up their first F-35 operational unit in Yuma, Ariz., in November.

The first international students, from the United Kingdom, also started academic training this fall to fly and maintain their own aircraft.

The year culminated earlier this month with a visit from Air Force Gen. Edward Rice, who gave the school the official go-ahead to start graduating Air Force pilots and maintainers next year.

The program also grew dramatically at Eglin in 2012.

On Jan. 1, six Air Force variants of the plane, the F-35A, were parked in hangars. At year’s end, the fleet has grown to 22 planes: nine F-35As and 13 F-35Bs, including two UK jets.

About 26 pilots and 500 maintainers went through the program at the training center.

The program will continue to expand in 2013, Lt. Gen. Christopher Bogdan, the new head of the nation’s Joint Strike Fighter program, said during a visit to Eglin earlier this month.

“We are on a very, very large growth path at Eglin here,” Bogdan said. “As a hub for maintenance and, at least for now, for pilots, this is the center of the universe for the F-35 in terms of training. This is stop one on the road to an F-35 capability.”

The 33rd Fighter Wing should double its fleet of jets and the number of pilots and maintainers going through the program next year, Toth said.

It also will receive its first F-35C, the Navy’s variant of the jet. Dutch students also are set to begin training in January.

The 33rd faced some unique challenges to achieve what it has with the F-35.

As production slowed and the program’s progress snagged, it fell on the wing to take on a lot of the operational testing and development of a training center to keep the program moving forward.

The 33rd worked to improve the processes and procedures of the F-35 as a whole, while also getting its training program up and running, Toth said.

Bogdan said the wing has done an extraordinary job. Now, his office and Lockheed Martin, the contractor developing the new jets, have a lot of work to do to lighten some of the load.

“We’ve asked them to do an awful lot in the past year where normally a program would have been a lot more mature,” Bogdan said. “We started building airplanes maybe long before we were ready to do that, and as a result we’ve asked the maintainers here and the operators and all the base support people here to do some extraordinary things to fly these airplanes.”

After a year-long negotiation, the Pentagon announced early this month a $3.8-billion deal with Lockheed to purchase 32 more F-35s. The Pentagon’s oversight office also is taking a look at the Joint Strike Fighter program, which could cost more than $1 trillion over several decades and make it the most expensive military weapons program in history.

Tomassetti said as the program has changed and delays in production occurred, the wing’s staff made adjustments and will continue to do so.

“The F-35 world will remain dynamic and we will adapt accordingly,” he said.

He said the wing is in a unique position to feed information back to program staff about what it takes in terms of resources and costs to operate the F-35 outside a test environment.

Toth said the biggest challenge for the 33rd over the next year will be turnover of almost all of the command staff that has been there since the first aircraft arrived and have seen the program through to what it is today.

He, Tomassetti, the maintenance group commander and the operations group commander all will leave for new positions by next summer, Toth said.

He said it will be a challenge, but could also bring some improvement to the wing.

“It brings the advantage of fresh eyes to see things a little different and to be able to keep the program on track,” he said.

In his two years at Eglin, Toth said he has been amazed to see the team of airmen, marines, sailors, contractors and civilians come together to focus on the single goal of running safe and effective flying operations.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the team and the way they’ve responded to the challenges that have been put before them,” he said. “Just to be a part of that makes me so proud.”

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Lauren Sage Reinlie at 850-315-4443 or lreinlie@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @LaurenRnwfdn.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Eglin becomes ‘center of the universe’ for F-35 training

CRESTVIEW — For now, Makayla Olivia Jones hasn’t given much thought to arriving in town. As the first baby of 2013 born in the north county region, her immediate interests are sleeping and eating.

Makayla was born at 12:36 p.m. New Year’s Day at North Okaloosa Medical Center. She is Stephanie Arnold and Mather Jones’ first daughter and their first child together.

Her brother, Bradien, waits at their Crestview home to meet his new half-sister.

“He’s excited,” Arnold said.

Four half-brothers — Gage, Drevon, Tristan and Kyler — eagerly await in Cincinnati the opportunity to visit their new half-sister, Jones said.

“But I think they ask about seeing the beach more,” he said, laughing.

The couple recently moved to Crestview, where Arnold’s parents live.

“We have family here so it was easy to get set up,” Jones said.

Proud grandpa Lester Arnold — who spent time with his daughter and new granddaughter at the hospital — said he looks forward to spoiling his sixth grandchild.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview couple welcomes north county’s first baby of 2013

2013 means many Okaloosa County residents will set New Year’s resolutions.

Your library has shelves and shelves of books with expert advice on how to ensure you meet your goals.

See our display featuring books on hobbies, finance, health and diet.

Reflections

2012 was a memorable year for us as we introduced new programs and events.

Exciting events included the Poetry Jam sessions that we hosted every third Tuesday of the month. Poets and musicians enjoyed the free-form open-mic poetry reading and jam session.

Also, our music in the library performed 6-8 pm by local artists every Monday and Tuesday allowed patrons to relax and enjoy the library as an entertainment venue.

The Northwest Florida Astronomy Association donated a telescope for those interested in stargazing. Tom Haugh, an association member, hosted a question-and-answer program to help novices get started. Haugh’s program continues 6:30 to 8 p.m. every third Tuesday of each month.

 We continued our Zumba classes on Friday mornings and knitting on Wednesday mornings.

We hosted several lecturers, with topics from aerodynamics to Tai Chi, the first Tuesday of each month. 

Our art gallery and showcase allowed local painters and three-dimensional artists to present their works.

Our Read to a Dog program was a big success. Dozer and Jada visited the library, ready to hear kids read.  

The library had many opportunities for patrons to come see, hear and participate in events throughout the year.  

So many events happened at the library this past year and all were fun, educational and entertaining. I’m looking forward to welcoming you to the many programs and events we have planned for 2013.

See www.cityofcrestview.org/library.php for a full listing of library happenings.

Jean Lewis is the Crestview Public Library’s director.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CHECK IT OUT: Looking forward and reflecting on development

I have suggestions for some great New Year’s resolutions that are achievable. 

For example, instead of setting a goal to lose 50 or more pounds by summertime, start small. Cut out sweets and see where you get with that. Then cut half your soda intake.

Slow and steady wins the race. 

If you set your standards too high to begin with, you will never achieve them, so set a smaller goal you know you can achieve — then up the ante.

This way, you guarantee yourself you will see success.

Another resolution many people make is exercising.

If you’re no marathon runner, don’t set a goal to run a 5K in a month. Start small and begin with a run around the block twice a week.

After a few weeks, and you still have some breath from your run, up the ante. 

Run four times around the block, but try four to five times a week. Not only will your stamina improve, but you will notice a difference in weight as well. You will feel a lot more energetic — a plus particularly if you have children.

Another top resolution is to get organized — now this is a hefty feat!

It can be overwhelming when trying to organize your life, family and household items, but fear not: you can do it.

I would begin with my finances. Spend 30 minutes on Saturdays going through that huge pile of papers that has been building up and put the bills where they belong.

Don’t spend more than 30 minutes; you may begin to feel overwhelmed. Once the half-hour is up, you will feel some success — probably when you put that pile away and see a clean, non-cluttered spot.

I bet you will feel like a million bucks!

Remember: this is a process, not a one-day job. Time is precious, so use it wisely. Once you have accomplished one section, move onto another.

Finally, take the pressure off “New Year’s” resolutions. Resolutions can be made daily, not just on Jan. 1.

When you realize you can make changes in your life any day of the year, New Year’s resolutions will be easier to make, stick to, and follow through with.

In 4-H, youth learn life skills they need to make resolutions and follow through with them daily. 

As adults, role models and parents, it is our job to set the example. We need to show them that year round, we have the opportunities to make a difference and Jan. 1 is a great reminder of that!

 Every child should experience what 4-H offers. Have the experience of a lifetime! 

If you have any questions about the 4-H program, call the Okaloosa County Extension office at 689-5850.

Haley Worley is an agent at the Okaloosa County Extension office in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: EXTENSION CONNECTION: Start New Year’s resolutions small

CRESTVIEW — A local service member’s overseas airbase spent the holidays much like residents in town, with a Christmas feast, toys and entertainment.

For Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia, the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing’s uniformed men and women broke bread with comrades, collected toys for Kyrgyzstan children in orphanages and schools, and listened to Nashville-based rock band Hip Kitty during a two-day performance for deployed troops, among other activities.

Chief Master Sgt. Leonard Thibodeaux, of Crestview, welcomed 2013 at the Manas Transit Center in the Kyrgyz Republic of Central Asia. Base members transport military personnel and supplies to and from Afghanistan. 

The transit center, which functions like a small town, includes a mayor who ensures “all service members transiting through are safe and comfortable,” the group’s website, manas.afcent.af.mil, states.

Leonard, as deputy mayor, regularly monitors safety conditions and helps ensure comrades’ quality of life. 

"The conditions have been a concern for us," he said. "We have had to deal with frozen water pipes and down power lines. We have had several nights when the temperature was below freezing. These conditions can make transporting personnel difficult.”

He also promotes morale.

"There are several here that are spending time away from families for the first time," said Leonard, who helps prevent comrades’ homesickness or helps them cope with it.

"We are a family and we always take care of each other," he said.

Missing home

"Being a military wife is a very challenging role," Leonard’s wife, Shelia, 47, said. "If our relationship isn't the way that it is, it wouldn't have lasted this long.”

Sheila, a Hurlburt Field civilian who served four years in the Air Force, met Leonard at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado.

Her husband — who has toured Afghanistan and Germany in his 29-year military career — has missed wedding anniversaries, birthdays and high school and college graduations.

Holiday absences particularly are tough. 

"It never gets any easier," Leonard said. "This (was) my fourth Christmas away from them."

However, distance does little to keep the couple apart. Leonard and Sheila communicate daily through Skype, a web-based video call service.

Family and friends also help. For instance, service members from nearby families taught both their children how to drive since their dad was unavailable. 

"The military is such an awesome support system," Shelia said.

One way or another, they make it work, the couple said.

After service

Leonard plans to retire from the Air Force in January of 2014 and the couple plans to stay in Crestview.

"Crestview is where I lay my hat," Leonard said. "I plan to spend the rest of my life there."

The couple’s eldest son, also named Leonard, 24, recently joined the Air Force and works at Hurlburt Field. His brother, Billy Thibodeaux, 23, works for the county clerk’s office.

Shelia looks forward to her and her husband spending more time with their grandson, Wyatt, whom Leonard and his wife welcomed in August.

"We have a lot of catching up to do," Shelia said. "We’re going to have to get used to being around each other again."

That shouldn't be a problem.

After all, "God made him for me and vice versa," Shelia 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: Soldier raises comrades’ spirits while serving overseas