September 2015 Business Briefs / Member News Part 4

Call for Volunteers for 20th Annual Festival of the Arts 
Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation is seeking volunteers for the 20th Annual Festival of the Arts to be held on Saturday, Oct. 24, and Sunday, Oct. 25, at the Mattie Kelly Cultural Arts Village in Destin. Various shifts are available, including set up and break down, main entry, artist relief, ArtStop children’s tent, and beverage booths. All volunteers are welcome to arrive prior to their assigned shift or after their morning shift to visit the artists and enjoy the festival. For more information or to volunteer, contact Festival of the Arts Volunteer Coordinator Kathy Whidden at (850) 376-7391 or email kathy@destinchiropractor.com. For festival details, visitwww.MattieKellyArtsFoundation.org.

Madeline Stuart to Walk the Horizons Stars Fashion Show Runway 
The Arc of the Emerald Coast is thrilled to announce that Australian model Madeline Stuart will be walking the runway at the Horizons Stars Fashion Show. Madeline recently gained global attention for being the first professional adult model with Down syndrome. The fashion show is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 20, from 7 – 10 p.m., at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort's Linkside Conference Center. Cost is $65 for regular seating, $120 for couples, and $100 for VIP area. All proceeds will benefit The ARC of Emerald Coast in its entirety. For information about tickets and/or sponsorship opportunities please contact Donna Tashik at (850) 376-1037dtashikhorizons@hotmail.com. 

Martin Joins World Impact Real Estate
Michelle Martin was born and raised in Miami, is of Cuban decent, and is 100% fluent in Spanish. She graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology from Carlos Albizu University. She works in all areas of residential real estate, but specializes in military relocations, as she herself is a military spouse. She knows the ins and outs of the PCS (permanent change of station), moving, and the VA Loan process. Now with World Impact Real Estate, you may reach her at (850) 218-3939.


Okaloosa County Tax Collector Receives State Award for Excellence 
Okaloosa County Tax Collector Ben Anderson earned a special designation for excellence in the field of financial operations. A judging panel performed a detailed review of the Tax Collector’s financial records, practices, and use of technology in considering Anderson for the honor. Last year, Anderson earned the Excellence in Financial Operations Award after demonstrating proficiency in four areas of expertise: Innovation & Automation; Perfect Annual Audit Report; Customer Focus; and Budgeting. For the 2015 Legacy Award, Anderson demonstrated that the Office had further enhanced its financial operations. 

Alpha Delta Kappa Donates Items to CIC Kids
Seen here, Alpha Delta Kappa retired teachers Camille Smith and Stephanie Mefford donate school supplies to the kids living at the Children in Crisis Neighborhood.







Chao Pinhole® Surgical Technique Now Offered by Niceville/Destin Dentist
Dr. Olivier Broutin of Bluewater Bay Dental has brought a world-renowned, proven, non-invasive gum recession repair technique to the Niceville and Destin areas. Gum recession refers to the loss of gum tissue along the gum line. This can occur as a result of periodontal disease, gingivitis the natural aging process or abrasive habits when it comes to brushing the teeth. Until recently, the only local option for treatment involved extensive, invasive surgical repairs. Dr. Broutin saw a need to provide a better treatment option and trained with the Dr. John Chao in the Chao Pinhole® Surgical Technique. For details, call (850) 897-4488.

Bright Horizons Diving Offering Unique Experience to Persons with Disabilities
The Arc of the Emerald Coast, formerly known as Horizons of Okaloosa County, along with Bright Horizons Diving, Inc., are gearing up to bring a new experience to clients with disabilities.  On Sept. 22, 30 staff members and close to 75 clients will embark on the 6th Annual Rish Park Camping Trip.  As part of this excursion, Gary Wyant, founder of Bright Horizons Inc., has been working with clients to do a demonstration to show fellow clients and staff that it is possible to experience the wonderful world of diving.  Ashley Mallini and Josh Montgomery, both clients of The Arc, suited up and took to the water for the first time Wednesday, Sept. 16, at the pool atEmerald Grande in Destin.  Within a short period of time both were able to dive underwater using the breathing tanks and other diving equipment and methods.  

Beachside Community Church Donation helps Children in Crisis
Ted Randall and members of Beachside Community Church of Fort Walton Beach donated 1,400 pounds of food and a check for $6,000 to Ken Hair, Children In Crisis (CIC) president and CEO, to help provide a home and care for the more than 100 children that will call Children in Crisis home this year.

Gulfarium to Host Exotic Pet Amnesty Day Oct. 3
Do you have any exotic pets you can no longer care for? Would you like the opportunity to surrender those pets without any penalties or fines? Then join the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park for an Exotic Pet Amnesty Day on Oct. 3, in Fort Walton Beach. This free event is open to the public and will be held in front of Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park, 1010 Miracle Strip Parkway SE, Fort Walton Beach. Admission to the park is not included. Surrendered animals will be accepted between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. These animals will be checked by a veterinarian and made available for adoption by experienced individuals who are capable of caring for them. Animals that will be accepted for surrender include reptiles, amphibians, mammals, birds, fish and invertebrates. Domestic animals, such as cats and dogs, will not be accepted. For each animal surrendered, individuals will receive two free admission passes to the Gulfarium. For more information on Exotic Pet Amnesty Day, visitwww.gulfarium.com/amnesty_day.

Children’s Advocacy Center Receives Donation from Sandestin Foundation For Kids
The Becnel family’s Sandestin Foundation For Kids made a $15,000 donation to the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center (ECCAC). 

“We are so appreciative of this donation,” commented ECCAC’s CEO, Julie Hurst. “These funds will directly benefit our new Pierce Family Walton County Children’s Advocacy Center currently under construction, and we will have one of our play therapy rooms named in their honor.”



Wine World to Sponsor Upcoming Revitalization Retreats for Chris Kyle Frog Foundation
Wine World is thrilled to sponsor two upcoming retreats for the Chris Kyle Frog Foundation (CKFF). Inspired by the personal experience of Chris and Taya Kyle, Revitalization Retreats represent a unique opportunity for military and first responder families to downshift from the intensity of mission-focused life of service and reconnect. Retreats range from quiet countryside weekends to rock star events. The first Destin Revitalization Retreat will take place during the Destin Beer Festival, on Sept. 22 – 25, 2015. This will represent the second Revitalization Retreat the Foundation has provided since its inception in November 2014. During the Revitalization Retreats, the selected military couples will receive luxury-gulf front accommodations from ResortQuest and ASI, VIP benefits from local businesses provided by the Emerald Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau, and complementary dining from The Wine Bar and The Craft Bar.

Local Nonprofit Welcomes Visitors from Africa
Ahmed Kere and Martin Nansia of Burkina Faso, Africa, are currently visiting the USA with their friends from The Sonder Project, a global nonprofit organization founded to spread awareness offer hope and offer a hand up to those with the greatest need. The men met The Sonder Project team last February, on the organization’s first school building trek in their country, Burkina Faso. Ahmed works full time for buildOn in country supporting school-building treks. Martin is a student at the University of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso who works with buildOn as a translator as he is fluent in several languages and dialects. He also serves as The Sonder Project’s boots on the ground for water well projects in the country. Over the next few days, they will be visiting Florida State University in Tallahassee where Martin hopes to continue his studies. They will attend an FSU football game and enjoy some time with The Sonder Project team before departing. 

On Saturday, Sept. 19, The Sonder Project team will depart on a second trek to Burkina Faso to build another school – this time in a village where they recently drilled a water well and installed a pump with the help of Martin, who served as in-country liaison along with some other great folks that made the project possible.