Vacasa Poised To
Award Up to $60,000 for 2015 Scholarship Program
Vacasa—named the country's fastest-growing private company
in the travel industry by Inc. Magazine in August 2014—is continuing to support
local communities through its annual scholarship program. Vacasa views this
scholarship program, offered to both high school and college students, as a way
to reinvest in the local communities it serves. This year, Vacasa’s scholarship
program is available in 14 U.S. states, as well as four countries. In total,
Vacasa is prepared to award up to $60,000 to support aspiring students on an
international scale.
Pike Promoted to
Destin Commons Marketing Manager
Destin Commons is pleased to announce the promotion of
Heather Pike as marketing manager. Pike has worked as the marketing coordinator
for more than a year and has been involved in many community activities on
behalf of Destin Commons with the Destin, Ft. Walton, and Niceville chambers of
commerce. At the Destin Area Chamber, Pike is chairing the Bayou, Bay &
Beach full and half-marathon, and she is in the 2014-2015 Destin Forward
leadership class. She is also the volunteer marketing lead for the Emerald
Coast Relay for Life that benefits the American Cancer Society and is a past
Chair of the Finest on the Emerald Coast event with the Northwest Florida Daily
News.
Hilton Sandestin
Honored with Two Awards from Hilton Worldwide
The Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa garnered a
number of prestigious awards from national industry trade publications in 2014
and in the fourth quarter received two especially significant recognitions from
Hilton Worldwide: the “Make it Right” Award and the “Make it Right” Most
Improved Award. To achieve the “Make it Right” Award and the “Make it Right”
Most Improved Award, Hilton Sandestin Beach received the highest combined
Problem Resolution and Overall Loyalty scores on the Service And Loyalty
Tracking email guest survey, and the most combined improvement, quarter on
quarter, out of all hotels in the Americas regions with more than 500 rooms.
Haugen and Cann Named
to 2015 PLANADVISER Top 100 Retirement Plan Advisers
Brian Haugen and Steve Cann of Emerald Coast Wealth Advisors
of Raymond James are pleased to announce their team has been named as one of
the 2015 PLANADVISER Top 100 Retirement Plan Advisory Teams. The PLANADVISER
Top 100 Retirement Plan Advisers is an annual listing of adviser individuals,
teams, and multi-office teams that stand out in the industry in terms of a
series of quantitative measures. These include the dollar value of qualified
plan assets under administration (AUA), as well as the number of plans under
advisement. The list also includes advisers who have more than 30% of their
practice focused on 403(b), defined benefit (DB) or nonqualified deferred
compensation (NQDC) plans.
Celebrate Your
Graduate at Ruth’s Chris Steak House
From April 13 through July 13, receive a complimentary
Ruth’s Classics three-coursee meal for the graduate with the purchase of four
entrees. For full details, visit RuthsChrisDestin.com/eventspromos.html.
Airports Police Chief
Recipient of a HERO Award
One of the first search calls was made to the Destin
Executive Airport (DTS) in hopes the missing UH60 Blackhawk had safely landed
on March 10. Chief Andrew (Andy) Johnson responded to DTS, secured the area,
and waited. In the early hours of March 11, he was notified that the Santa Rosa
County Sheriff’s Office was responding in the area of the Navarre Bridge, and
Chief Johnson decided to go see if he could assist in the rescue effort.
“Chief Johnson assisted in securing the heaviest debris
area, documented evidence, and recovered two crew members, all above and beyond
what he was required to do,” stated Chairman Nathan Boyles, Okaloosa County
Commission. “There was a need to secure as much as they could prior to daylight
on a public beach, and he didn’t hesitate to provide his knowledge and
experience to that scene, along with a limited amount of initial responders,
and for that he has earned recognition.” Two UH60 aircraft assigned to Hammond,
Louisiana Army National Guard were participating in a training exercise when
one of the helicopters crashed. Eleven service members were killed.
The Humanitarian Efforts Recognized by Okaloosa County
(HERO) award recognizes employees who not only go beyond the scope of what his
or her job entails, but has done something of a humanitarian or heroic nature.
The HERO Award can include acts occurring outside work hours and submissions by
people outside Okaloosa County staff. Above and Beyond forms are available
online at www.okaloosafl.com or you may contact 311 Citizen Information Line
for more information or to recognize an Okaloosa County employee.
Niceville Exchange
Club Donates to Children
The Exchange Club of Niceville continued its support to
Children in Crisis (CIC) by presenting a $1,000 donation to help feed, clothe,
and care for the children living at the CIC Children’s Neighborhood. Seen here,
Bill Moomaw, club president, presents the check and paper products to Ken Hair,
CIC president and CEO.
Pirate Invasion at
Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park
Captain Billy Bowlegs and his Pirate Krewe have land in
sight and are headed straight for Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park. This year,
both organizations are commemorating 60 years and one of the many ways they
will celebrate this milestone is with a pirate invasion at the marine park on
Saturday, April 18, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Guests can meet the infamous
Captain Billy Bowlegs, his Queen, the First Mate and Mistress, and members of
the Court throughout the park as they mingle with some of Gulfarium's gators
and tropical birds.
8th Annual Estuary
Family Festival
The Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA) and Mattie Kelly
Environmental Institute (MKEI) will jointly host the 8th Annual Mattie Kelly
Estuary Family Festival at Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park on Saturday,
April 25, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The family-oriented festival offers exhibits
and activities that celebrate Choctawhatchee Bay. Festival admission is FREE
and the open to the public.
World Impact Real
Estate Opens New Branch Office in Mary Esther
Broker Rodney Elkins of World Impact Real Estate announced
the opening of a new office at 340 E. Miracle Strip Pkwy., in Mary Esther. With
more than 80+ agents in the Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Tallahassee, Panama
City, and Tampa areas, the growth has been wonderful. So, in an effort to
better accommodate the agents and their needs, the Mary Esther branch office
was opened. In this office agents may do floor duty, if they like. This office
will be able to help clients in the Navarre, Fort Walton Beach, Shalimar, and
Mary Esther areas. We want to have the convenience for not only our agents, but
clients as well.
WSRE Awarded Bronze
Telly Awards for Two Original Programs
WSRE, PBS for the Gulf Coast, has been awarded the bronze
Telly Award for two local productions: “The Blue Angels Air Shows” episode of
“In Your Own Backyard” and “An Evening with Tommy Emmanuel,” a music special
recorded live at WSRE’s Jean & Paul Amos Performance Studio.
“In Your Own Backyard,” hosted by Sheri Hemminghaus Weeks,
took viewers to the skies over Pensacola with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flight
demonstration team. The program covers both world-class air shows performed
annually for hometown fans—the summer show over Pensacola Beach and the season
finale Homecoming Air Show at NAS Pensacola’s Sherman Field. This program was
produced by James Roy and Ted King.
“An Evening with Tommy Emmanuel” documents a concert
performed in 2013 by the two-time Grammy Award nominee. Emmanuel, one of
Australia’s most respected musicians, is known as a legendary guitarist with a
career spanning five decades and intersecting with some of the finest musicians
in the world. This program was produced by Eric S. Fundin and Bill Harrell,
directed by James Roy and edited by Ted King.
Support the LARGEST One-Day
“Stamp Out Hunger” FOOD DRIVE in the Nation and Help Restock Our Local Food
Banks
The United Way of Okaloosa & Walton Counties asks you to
participate in our nation’s and our community’s Largest Food Drive…. the 23rd
Annual National Association of Letter Carriers “Stamp Out Hunger” Food Drive to
be held on Saturday, May 9, and help our local food banks restock their
pantries. To participate, place your food donation(s) in a bag next to your
mailbox early the morning of Saturday, May 9. Your letter carrier will pick up
your donations as they make their regular mail routes and then deliver them to
our local food banks. Donations may include quick meals like macaroni,
spaghetti, soups, canned meats, peanut butter, canned juice, canned fruits,
canned vegetables, baby food, cereal, and more.
Brotula’s Seafood
House & Steamer Presents Checks to Local Charities
Brotula’s Seafood House & Steamer celebrated its grand
opening on Wednesday, April 8, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Destin
Area Chamber of Commerce followed by a reception for the community. Before the
official Grand Opening, Brotula’s held two complimentary soft opening dinners
with all tips and proceeds benefitting two local charities, Boys and Girls
Clubs of the Emerald Coast and Food for Thought Outreach. Before the official
ribbon cutting, owners Tyler Jarvis and Chris Ruyan presented Boys and Girls
Clubs with a check for $2,092, as well as $2,220 for Food for Thought.
Okaloosa County
Departments Participate in Earth Day Events
Earth Day is officially April 22, and is celebrated
worldwide. The following events are scheduled in Destin and Fort Walton Beach:
April 13: Earth Day Celebration at the Destin Community
Center at 3:30 p.m. Recycling information and “Edutainment.”
April 25: Okaloosa County Water and Sewer Department will
promote and educate children about water conservation at the Emerald Coast
Science Center Earth Day event, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
April 25: The Okaloosa County Environmental Council invites
volunteers of all ages to participate in the Earth Day Beach Cleanup on
Saturday, from 8 – 10 a.m. Receive your “Leave Footprints – NOT Stuff” event
T-Shirt, trash bag, bottled water, gloves, and Get a Little Sand in your Soul!
Volunteers are invited to sign in at Beasley Park on Okaloosa Island, the Beach
Park west of Island Princess on Okaloosa Island, and Henderson Beach State Park
in Destin.
Habitat for Humanity
Celebrates Volunteers
Habitat for Humanity in Okaloosa County is hosting a
volunteer appreciation celebration on Saturday, April 18, 2015 from 12 – 5
p.m., at the Habitat ReStore in Fort Walton Beach. Volunteers are invited to
come by for a free cookout and get a window sticker for a new contest, Hunting
for Habitat Volunteers. Participants put the Habitat window sticker on their
car and when a Habitat employee spots their car, a photo will be posted to the
Okaloosa Habitat Facebook and website pages. Stickers can be picked up at the
ReStore and the Habitat office until May 18. The Hunting for Habitat Volunteers
contest prizes are gift certificates to Helen Back,Whataburger, Hub City
Smokehouse in Crestview, and Starbucks. Volunteers are vital to the work
Habitat does for families in our community and this is a small way to
acknowledge their contribution.
Mayor Mel Ponder
Selected to Attend National Security Forum
Destin Mayor Mel Ponder has received and accepted a personal
invitation from the Secretary of the Air Force to attend the 62nd annual
National Security Forum at the Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base,
Alabama. The purpose of NSF is to expose influential citizens to senior U.S.
and international officers and civilian equivalents in order to engage each
other’s ideas and perspectives on Air Force, national and international
security issues. During the week of May 5-7, approximately 150 civilian leaders
in business, education, and government from all over the U.S. will meet with
senior military leaders to explore current and future national security issues
facing our nation. The NSF provides a great opportunity for an open and candid
exchange of ideas among these guests, senior military and civilian leaders, and
Air War College students. Ponder will attend lectures, meet in seminars for
in-depth discussions, and participate in social events.
Project 10 Kids
Charity Donates Food to CIC Children
Project 10 Kids Charity “I Believe,” sponsored by Jeannie
Aylsworth from Body by Vi, donated 360 bags of healthy cereal to Children in
Crisis (CIC). The goal of Project 10 Kids Charity is to create partnerships
with local charities and organizations to help make a difference in the
community. Seen here, Ken Hair, CIC president and CEO, along with Laura Moore,
CIC volunteer and event coordinator, accept the donation from Aylsworth.
TripShock.com to
Donate $1 to Charities for Every Activity or Booking through August
TripShock.com announced last week that it will be starting a
series of sponsorships with local non-profits along the Gulf Coast. The travel
website and activity booking engine will be pledging $1 per booking up to
$1,000 each month through August. For the month of April, TripShock has
partnered with Destin Harvest to help curb hunger in Northwest Florida. Destin
Harvest is focused primarily on assisting local feeding programs with providing
quality and nutritious foods to feed the homeless.
CIC Board Member
Takes Teens Shopping
Long-time Children in Crisis board member Judy Wiseman gave
the transitioning teens living at the CIC Neighborhood a real shopping treat
last week. Judy volunteered to take the two small groups of teens to find that
special Easter outfit and other items needed to present a professional look for job interviews.
