May 2016 Business Briefs / Member News Part 3

Sacred Heart Nurse Honored with Award
Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast (SHHEC) recently honored one of its nurses with the 2016 Nurse Excellence Award in recognition of the exceptional care he provides to patients. 
Nina Jeffords (right), chief operating officer/chief nursing officer, at Sacred Heart recognized Jeff Moody, RN, of the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit with this award. 

Jeffords also recognized the following nominees for the hospital’s annual award:
- Diana Brocato, RN, Pre-Operative Surgery Department;
- Beth Nash, RN, Intensive Care Unit; 
- Tracy Perk, RN, Emergency Department; and 
- Daryl Riddle, RN, Radiology Department.

Children’s Advocacy Center Receives Donation from Costa Enterprises
The Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center (ECCAC) received a $1,500 check from Costa Enterprises’ McCafé With A Cause initiative. The program was designed and developed by Costa Enterprises, owners of 20 McDonalds in Northwest Florida. ECCAC was the recipient of a portion of McDonalds coffee sales each Monday during the month of April. Eleven other area charities participate in the other months of the year.


Bit-Wizards Donates to Children in Crisis
Bit-Wizards donated $360.00 to Children in Crisis (CIC) to help the kids living in the Children's Village. Ken Hair, CIC president and CEO, and Allie Noah, CIC development director, receive the donation from Candace Mitchell, Bit-Wizards marketing director, and Louis J. Erickson, Jr., Bit Wizards chief operating officer. The donation will be used to help give the children living at the CIC Neighborhood summer vacation activities. The money was raised at Bit-Wizards’ booth during the Multi-Chamber Business Expo, held in March at the Emerald Coast Convention Center.

Tax Certificate Sale Workshops Scheduled
As a reminder, representatives from the Okaloosa County Tax Collector’s Office will be conducting workshops around the county, educating citizens on the annual Tax Certificate Sale. Winning bidders can earn between 5% - 18% interest. Potential investors can log on to www.BidOkaloosa.com to take full advantage of the demonstrations, procedural information, links to public records, and the Delinquent Tax advertising list. Bidding begins May 11 and will conclude on June 1. Upcoming workshops include May 17 in Niceville, May 19 in Crestview, and May 24 in Shalimar.

Local Hospitals Earn “A” Grades
Hospital Corporation of America facilities Fort Walton Beach Medical Center and Twin Cities Hospital were both recognized for their dedication to patient safety by being awarded “A” grades in the Spring 2016 Hospital Safety Score by The Leapfrog Group, which rates how well hospitals protect patients from preventable medical errors, injuries, and infections within the hospital. Developed under the guidance of The Leapfrog Group’s Blue Ribbon Expert Panel, the Hospital Safety Score uses 30 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign A, B, C, D, and F grades to more than 2,500 U.S. hospitals twice per year. It is calculated by top patient safety experts, peer-reviewed, fully transparent, and free to the public. 

Kiwanis Club of Freeport Donates to Children’s Advocacy Center
The Kiwanis Club of Freeport recently held its 7th Annual South Walton Golf Tournament at Kelly Plantation Golf Club and made a generous $7,500 donation in support of sponsoring a room at the new Pierce Family Children’s Advocacy Center in DeFuniak Springs. The Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center (ECCAC) is one organization with two locations in DeFuniak Springs and Niceville. Pictured are Kim Henderson, ECCAC’s director of development; Julie Hurst, ECCAC CEO; and Wanda Pitts, Kiwanis member.

Gulf Place Partners with Sunshine 30A Trolley 
Gulf Place has partnered with Sunshine Shuttle & Limousine’s Sunshine 30A Trolley for another summer of convenient transportation for locals and guests. This public transportation system provides complimentary transportation along Florida's scenic Highway 30A and will now make regular stops at ResortQuest Vacation Rentals & Real Estate on Laura Hamilton Boulevard located in the heart of Gulf Place. It operates May 28 – Sept. 5, seven days per week from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.