Tuesday, November 4, 2014

November 2014 Business Briefs / Member News Part 1

Dunes In Schools Begins Pilot Year in Four Middle Schools
This month, middle school students across the area will begin participating in the new Dunes in Schools Program-- a hands-on learning project about the area’s Coastal Dune Lakes and Barrier Island. Led by theChoctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA) of Northwest Florida State College, Dunes in Schools provides students with an opportunity to apply their classroom knowledge to their local world by actively involving the students in the restoration of local coastal systems. CBA will work with four middle schools in Okaloosa County and Walton County, reaching close to 475 students every month. Those schools include Emerald Coast Middle School, Destin Middle School, Shoal River Middle School, and Seaside Neighborhood School. For more information, contact Brittany Tate at (850) 217-5382 or tateb@nwfsc.edu.

Okaloosa County Schools “Teach Flu a Lesson”
Okaloosa County high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools are fighting influenza this school year with an extra weapon, “Teach Flu a Lesson,” thanks to a partnership among three organizations:Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa CountyOkaloosa County School District, and Healthy Schools, LLC, a healthcare access company focused on providing flu vaccines for students from VPK to 12th grade. Student participation is voluntary. FluMist nasal spray immunizations will be administered by Healthy Schools’ nurses to students with completed parental consent forms in every participating Okaloosa County public school Nov. 13 and Nov. 17. According to Healthy Schools, parents will have no out of pocket costs. Healthy Schools will bill students’ insurance companies, and no deductible will be applied. Students who are on Medicaid or who are uninsured will receive a vaccine at no cost.

RE/MAX Southern Realty Marks Banner Year with Top Sales & Agent Awards
RE/MAX Southern Realty is celebrating another tremendous sales year. The continued recovery of the Gulf Coast housing market, coupled with the skills and expertise of RE/MAX Southern’s REALTORS®, has resulted in a number of transactions and agents awards. Mandy Cooper, Mary Ann Miller, Matt Williams, and Jim Murphy have recently been named into the RE/MAX Hall of Fame. Less than 22 percent of RE/MAX affiliates have earned this prestigious award. Additionally, fellow RE/MAX Southern agents Claire Gagne and Carole Pleasants have been presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award, which honors agents for their notable commission sales within their seven or more years of service with the company. Each member of the team is an integral part to RE/MAX Southern’s success and has worked diligently to achieve these impressive career milestones. 
NWFSC AmeriCorps program receives Program of the Year Award from Volunteer Florida
The AmeriCorps program of Northwest Florida State College(NWFSC) has been chosen from among 50 other Florida AmeriCorps programs as the first-ever Volunteer Florida “Program of the Year.” Seen here, AmeriCorps Director Laurie Von Kaenel accepts the award from Chester W. Spellman, CEO of Volunteer Florida, during Volunteer Florida’s fall program directors meeting. Okaloosa and Walton counties have an active AmeriCorps team called the Northwest Florida Environmental Stewards. The team is hosted by NWFSC and funded through a grant from Volunteer Florida, the governor’s lead agency for volunteerism and national service in Florida. Northwest Florida Environmental Stewards partner withChoctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA), a non-profit watershed organization, to achieve critical education and environmental restoration needs in the Choctawhatchee watershed.

Twin Cities Hospital Awarded Certification From The Joint Commission
Twin Cities Hospital earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for its Spinal Surgery Program by demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission’s national standards for health care quality and safety in disease-specific care. The certification award recognizes Twin Cities Hospital’s dedication to continuous compliance with The Joint Commission’s state-of-the-art standards. Twin Cities Hospital underwent a rigorous on-site review in September 2014. A Joint Commission expert evaluated Twin Cities Hospital for compliance with standards of care specific to the needs of patients and families, including infection prevention and control, leadership, and medication management.

Cruise Through Thanksgiving in Destin on the SOLARIS’ Yacht
Celebrate Thanksgiving on the water on SunQuest Cruises’ Thanksgiving Buffet Cruises on the SOLARIS yacht in Sandestin on Thursday, Nov. 27. Guests will enjoy a lavish Thanksgiving Buffet, including a cornucopia of coastal and traditional cuisines, with the lunch cruise from 12 – 2 p.m. and the dinner cruise from 6 – 8 p.m. The Thanksgiving Buffet Cruise ranges from $20 - $58 per person, which includes a two-hour cruise and a delectable Thanksgiving buffet. Reservations are required at SunQuestCruises.com or (850) 650-2519.

World Impact Real Estate Welcomes Rex Murphy
World Impact Real Estate Realtor Rex Murphy has been selling real estate in this area for 20 years. He has worked mainly listing and selling gulf front properties to include homes, townhomes, and condominiums, especially in the Seagrove Beach area. Murphy is retired military and enjoys working with military buyers and sellers, both active duty and retired, that will be stationed at Eglin AFB or Hurlburt Field, or who have retired in the Fort Walton Beach through the Inlet Beach areas. If you wish to sell your property in this area or are planning on buying a property soon, call (850) 240-9179.

Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort to Host Sun Belt Golf Championships
In an agreement between Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort and the Sun Belt Conference, the prestigiousRaven Golf Club will be the league’s host site for the men’s golf championships for the next four years, resort and conference officials recently announced. The four-year deal starts with the Sun Belt Conference men’s golf championships on April 17-21, 2015. The subsequent conference championships will be held each April through 2018. The 2015 Sun Belt Conference Men’s Golf Championship will feature 55 players from 11 men’s teams who compete over three days and 54 holes. The team champion will earn the conference’s automatic selection into the NCAA Championship.

WSRE’s Imagination Station Receives National Award
The National Educational Telecommunications Association has honored WSRE’s Imagination Station with the 2014 NETA Award for Community Engagement Based on a Local Project. WSRE General Manager Sandy Cesaretti Ray accepted the award on behalf of the Public Broadcasting Service member station last week during the NETA Professional Development Conference in Dallas, Texas. Located at the Pensacola Bayfront Stadium, the Imagination Station is a free, educational public venue designed to promote early education and provide access and exposure to family learning activities. Parents, and often grandparents, accompany their children and enjoy playing and learning together in an activity center like no other in this region and unique to PBS nationwide. Hours of operation for the general public are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon. Tuesdays and Thursdays are set aside for special group visits by organizations, including Head Start, Autism Pensacola, Early Steps, Capstone Academy, Title I schools, and different literacy groups. The Imagination Station is also open for all Pensacola Blue Wahoos home games during baseball season.

ECAR Donates to Four Local Schools 
The Emerald Coast Association of Realtors (ECAR) dropped in on two area schools this week to make a special delivery. The delivery was a check for $875 to help the schools purchase equipment and other needs for the schools’ physical education programs. ECAR’s first stop was Wright Elementary in Fort Walton Beach. Seen here, Ben Acock, ECAR board member, and Ashley Botelho, ECAR Community and Military Outreach Committee member, present a $875 donation to Wright Elementary School’s physical education program. Also pictured are Anita Gail Choice, principal; Suzanne Boyd, assistant principal; Tim Miller, physical education teacher; and students Leia Burks, Adrien Celestin, Shayna Junger, Jose’ Figueroa, and Jayla Love. Then, ECAR members presented a check to Bob Sikes Elementary in Crestview.

Covenant Offers Alzheimer’s Services
Many Alzheimer’s patients and families in our community are struggling to make sense of a disease that doesn’t make sense. Lives are turned upside down with each new diagnosis, leaving caregivers unsure where to turn. We want our community to know they can turn to Covenant Alzheimer’s Services (CAS) – and that’s where you come in! You can help CAS meet the needs of those who don’t know they need us. Awareness is the first step, and November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month. People who need our help may not even know we exist, and if they do, they may not be aware of the comprehensive services we provide. Are you? Click here for details, including information on the Miles of Memories 5K on Nov. 8.

Another Broken Egg CafĂ© Successfully Hatches in Grand Boulevard at Sandestin 
Another Broken Egg Cafe celebrated the grand opening of its 39th location Friday, Oct. 24, in Grand Boulevard at Sandestin. The upscale 4,500-square-foot southern inspired breakfast, lunch, and brunch restaurant seats 110 guests inside and an additional 40 on the “al-fresco” style patio. According to President and Founder Ron Green, the new location of ABEC created 30 new jobs in the area. During two benefit brunches, prior to the grand opening, a total of $1,739 and $3,581 were raised for Alaqua Animal Refuge and the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center, respectively.

Sacred Heart Now Offers PET/CT Imaging Services 
Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast is now offering PET/CT imaging services in Miramar Beach. This addition of cancer-detecting technology was made possible, in large part, by a generous donation from The Dugas Family Foundation, as well as support from the Sacred Heart Charity Golf Classic. Sacred Heart’s PET/CT services are located in the first floor of the Medical Office Building adjacent to Sacred Heart Hospital at 7720 US Hwy. 98 W., Ste. 140. For more information about imaging services at Sacred Heart, please visitSacredHeartEmerald.org/imaging. Providers may call (850) 278-3800 to schedule a procedure.

Kusten Kreuzers VW Car Club Helps Children in Crisis
The local chapter of the Kusten Kruezers VW Car Club helped the kids of Children in Crisis (CIC) with a donation of $1,650. CIC was chosen as the benefiting charity for the recent huge car show held at the Mullet Festival grounds. Seen here, Ken Hair, CIC president and CEO, receives the donation from Steve Osborn, Kusten Kreuzers president.

Food for Thought Outreach Food Drive
Food For Thought Outreach will hold a food drive in our Destin area pantry on Nov. 11 and Dec. 9. This is our first food drive in this location. Our outreach in Okaloosa County is growing rapidly. We now reach four Okaloosa County schools and 305 students per week. Food For Thought also serves Walton County, and combined we reach 700 students in 11 schools. This all adds up to 40,000 food items per week, and, during the holidays, the need is even more critical since the children miss so many school supported meals. Needed items include peanut butter, jelly, pop top soup, canned tuna, canned chicken, snacks, canned veggies, fruit cups, and oatmeal packets. Plastic containers are preferred. The Destin pantry, located at 220 Main St., will be open from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. to accept donations.

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