October 2014 Business Briefs / Member News Part 2

Destin Snowbirds Return to Roost
The Destin Snowbirds are returning and will reopen the roost with a ribbon cutting on Nov. 18, at 1 p.m., at the Destin Community Center. The Snowbirds are seeking door prizes for 21 meetings, held from November through mid-March. Donating sponsors, those giving gift certificates of $10 or more, are invited to attend meetings, set up a display, and provide samples. For details, visitDestinSnowbirds.org or email destinsbprizecommittee@gmail.com.

SOLARIS’ Full Moon Cruise Benefiting the Junior League
Cruise for a cause as SunQuest Cruises partners with the Junior League of the Emerald Coast for a Full Moon Cruise on the SOLARIS yacht on Friday, Nov. 7, from 7:30 – 10:30 p.m. The Junior League of the Emerald Coast is celebrating 50 years of making a difference in the community with a night of dining and dancing under the moonlight. Boarding on the SOLARIS yacht begins at 6:30 p.m., at Sandestin’s Baytowne Marina. The cost is $60 per person, which includes a three-hour cruise, food, and live entertainment. Prior reservations are required by purchasing tickets at jlec.org or calling (850) 269-7234.

Hilton Sandestin Announces Addition to Meeting Space & Spa Transformation
In October, the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa announced the addition of 7,500 square feet of exhibit and event space slated for debut in March 2015. This addition includes expansion to pre-function space, current restroom facilities, and permanent registration areas. The additional space will provide meeting planners more than 23,000 square feet of ballroom and event space on a single level with approximately 10,000 square feet of additional pre-function area to support the three rooms.

The award-winning Serenity by the sea Spa will also be receiving a complete overhaul. The spa will be expanded by 3,000 square feet providing more space for individual guests and groups in the women’s locker room, lounge facilities, and group relaxation area, as well as the salon for hair, makeup, and nails, with a total new area of 14,500 square feet. The complete transformation will also include an all-new fitness center offering 24-hour guest access and updated reception area, retail area, and new tile/paint accents throughout the spa.

For details, visit HiltonSandestinBeach.com or call (850) 267-9600.

Sacred Heart Guild Gift Shop to Host Holiday Sale Nov. 3 – 8
The spirit of the holidays will come alive in the main hallway of Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast as the hospital’s Volunteer Guild hosts its annual Holiday Extravaganza. The holiday sale will be open Monday, Nov. 3, to Friday, Nov. 7, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 8, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guests of the extravaganza will enjoy special discounts. For more information, please call (850) 278-3032, visit SacredHeartEmerald.org, or Facebook.com/GuildGiftShop.

Museum Announces Winners of FALL Corn Hole Tournament  On Oct. 4, the Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida held its Fall Nighttime Corn Hole Tournament. More than 100 participants and spectators, young and old, attended the event with 26 teams competing in the Beginners and Masters divisions. First place winners of the beginners division (seen here) were Shannon Brinkley and Ryan Asbury. Other winners included masters first place “Two Ol’ Baggers” Russ Varieur and Bill Stolze, masters second place “Hole Patrol” Hunter Stelck and Matt O’Hair, and beginners second place Ashley and Ty Orvis. For details, visit Heritage-Museum.org.

'Savor The Season' Auction Items Due By October 23
If you would like to donate an auction item for the Taylor Haugen Foundation’s 5th Annual Savor The Season fundraiser at Alys Beach on Thursday, Nov. 6, the deadline for submitting your item is Oct. 23. Please contact the Taylor Haugen Foundation at thfdirector@taylorhaugen.org.

19th Annual Festival of the Arts
Enjoy a celebration of art, music, food, and fun on Oct. 25 – 26, at the Mattie Kelly Cultural Arts Village. The event includes more than 100 artists, children’s art activities, wine and beer garden, cuisine on the green, live music, collaborative art exhibit, and more. Volunteers are needed. Sign up for various shifts and enjoy the celebration of this two-day art and music festival. Contact Kathy Whidden, festival volunteer chair, atkathy@destinchiropractor.com.

Two Local Financial Institutions Name to Top 200 Healthiest Banks/Credit Unions
DepositAccounts.com just released its list of the Top 200 Healthiest Banks/Credit Unions in America. First Florida Bank and Eglin Federal Credit Union made the list. Both institutions stood out in all of the primary evaluation categories, including Texas Ratio, Deposit Growth, and Capitalization. Each year, DepositAccounts.com evaluates the financial health of every federally insured bank and credit union in the United States – more than 13,000 total. The full list may be found here:depositaccounts.com/banks/health.aspx#healthiest.

Boston Butts to Support Destin Rotary
The Rotary Club of Destin is selling pre-cooked smoked Boston Butts (pulled pork) for $40 to raise funds to help support the Rotary Interact Club at the Destin Middle School, its ongoing efforts to fight hunger in this community, support local youth programs, and other projects. Cooking will take place on Oct. 24 – 25, at Coyote Ugly. Butts will be available for pick- up/delivery after 10 a.m., on Oct. 25. For details, contactpat.dehlinger@gmail.com by Oct. 19.

Local Chefs to Compete in Destin Desserts to Benefit Girl Scouts 
Seven local chefs representing six businesses will vie for the title of Destin Desserts Champion at the 2015 Destin Desserts competition, to be held Friday, Jan. 30, at The Palms of Destin Resort and Conference Center. The Destin Desserts chefs’ competition showcases the best local chefs competing for the title of champion by creating original desserts using Girl Scout cookies as the main ingredient. All proceeds from the 2015 event will benefit the Girl Scout Council’s Camp Kolomoki. For details, visitgscfp.org/destindesserts.html.

St. Joe Community Foundation Sponsors Children In Crisis Golf Classic The St. Joe Community Foundation was a premier sponsor for the Children in Crisis, Inc. (CIC), Sugar Sands Golf Classic, held this month. The foundation’s $5,000 grant to CIC will help assist children in Walton and Okaloosa counties that have been neglected or abused and are seeking shelter and assistance. Seen here, Ken Hair, CIC president and CEO receives the check from the foundation’s Janet Greeno (center). Also pictured is Allie Noah, CIC development director. For details, visit ChildrenInCrisisFL.org.

Twin Cities Hospital Donates to the American Heart Association Twin Cities Hospital recently donated $3,300 to the American Heart Association, making them one of the top five fundraising companies participating in the 2014 Heart Walk. Employees of Twin Cities Hospital raised funds between May and September. Members of Twin Cities Hospital’s Heart Walk team presented a check to Inger Alderfer, regional director of the Okaloosa-Walton American Heart Association, in the days following the event. For more information, please visitTCHospital.com or call (850) 678-4131.

World Impact Welcomes Scott and Tammy White Scott and Tammy White have been in the real estate industry for more than 22 years. Scott was a Broker in Atlanta, Ga., and both were sales agents in Georgia and Colorado before permanently relocating to Florida several years ago. They are extremely well versed in vacation homes, resort properties, and high-end single-family homes having bought, sold, and invested in like properties throughout the Southeast. On the Panhandle, Scott and Tammy have bought and sold homes from Santa Rosa Beach to Destin. Contact the Whites at (941) 702-0280 or (678) 591-4282.

Newman-Dailey Awards Top Producers for Third Quarter 2014 Sales Associates Jerry Bielawski and Diane Green were recently awarded as the Top Producers for Newman-Dailey’s Real Estate Division for the third quarter of 2014. Bielawski earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Central Michigan University and a Master of Business Administration in Marketing from Michigan State University. Following a rewarding career with Dow Chemical in sales and marketing, he moved to Destin. Green has 32 years of experience and currently holds a Broker’s license in the states of Florida and Georgia. Recognized as one of the top producing residential brokers since 1981,Green became a Life member of the Atlanta Board of Realtors Million Dollar club in 1997, a leader in the sales and marketing council's Million Dollar Club for 10 consistent years from 1995 on, and a top producer of Newman-Dailey Resort Properties in 2013. For more sales information, call (800) 225-7652, (850) 837-1071 or visit online atDestinSales.com.