GET ACTIVE

Rocky Bayou Christian School in Crestview receives grant from NFL’s PLAY 60 initiative

Rocky Bayou Christian School Crestview has been named a 2022 recipient of the Get Moving Grant. The $1,500 grant is for physical education equipment through the National Football League’s PLAY:60 initiative in conjunction with the American Heart Association. 

• One school per team region is awarded the grant. 

Rocky’s regional NFL team is the Jacksonville Jaguars. That prompted RBCS Crestview PE teacher, Amanda Harrison, to work the team’s name into her application video. 

Harrison, along with RBCS Crestview principal, Melissa Turner, thought the grant application was a great way to get their students moving with a little added fun. 

• Harrison chose her 5th grade PE class to be the stars of her video and they showcased their “Jaguar Jacks.” 

“I love teaching PE and enjoy the laughs and smiles from each grade,” said Harrison. “We have fun with physical activity so this was a great opportunity to continue the fun and who doesn’t love doing some jumping jacks? We are thankful to have been chosen for this grant and I’m excited to purchase new equipment for our PE program.”

RBCS Crestview’s 5th graders will be showcased on the Super Bowl Brain Break digital broadcast and have the chance to win another $1,500 grant. The national winner is chosen out of all 32 NFL team regional grant winners.

“NFL Play:60 and the American Heart Association are promoting mental and physical health for young students,” wrote Rocky Bayou Christian School in a press release. “RBCS is proud to be a part of their initiative.”

Click here to see the kids doing their jumping jacks.

WILDLIFE

Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge wants your freezer-burned meat for their animals

On Wednesday, the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge put out a request for any freezer burned meat that residents might be getting ready to throw out. 

The Refuge sees all kinds of animals. Some start out with formula and then grow into eating more fruits and veggies, before moving into the really expensive part of feeding, which is the protein.

“That’s when it gets incredibly expensive,” said Crystie Baker, Executive Director of ECWR. “Our animals don’t care if it’s a little old and their palates aren’t that sensitive.”

As for the type of freezer burned meat, Baker says it can be anything from chicken to steaks to venison. She did note that the meat can’t be seasoned, cooked or cured. 

“If there’s hunters that are cleaning out their freezers, and it’s last year’s game meat and they’re not going to eat it, rather than just throwing it away they can put it to good use,” she said. 

She also noted that it doesn’t matter if the meat has bones or is boneless.

“We recently found out that one of our fox ambassadors really loves chicken drumsticks,” she said. “She took the drumstick and she played with it for about an hour before she ate it. You just never know what their little personalities are going to favor.”

Interested in donating? Here’s how:

The Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge is asking that you come during their Education Center’s open hours, which is Wednesday-Saturday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM or Sundays from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

“That’s the most ideal time because we have someone in our Education Center who can grab a cart, come out to the car, help them load it up, and get it into the freezer as soon as possible,” said Baker. “And we can give them a tax receipt!”

For more info on donating, click here.

GIVING BACK

Eglin Federal Credit Union helped paint and landscape two buildings for local non-profits

Eglin Federal Credit Union once again supported and participated in the United Way Emerald Coast’s 28th Annual Day of Caring. 

• Twenty-three employees painted and landscaped at the Emerald Coast Science Center in Fort Walton Beach and at the Crestview Manor in Crestview on Friday, Jan. 14. 
• This year’s Day of Caring aligned with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, as well as the National Day of Service celebrated on Monday, Jan. 17.

“In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?” said United Way Emerald Coast’s President and CEO Kelly Jasen. “Eglin Federal Credit Union’s employees continuously exemplify a spirit of giving back to the community, and we cannot thank them enough. Painting in the Emerald Coast Science Center and the Crestview Manor was extremely helpful to our local partners, saving them time and money. It’s a wonderful way to give back, which ultimately benefits the people in Okaloosa County.”

Eglin Federal Credit Union has sponsored and participated in this event for over 17 years, and employees have painted, cleaned, organized, gardened and more to help fill the needs of our community.

“This was a special day for a number of our employees to help the United Way Emerald Coast with projects around Okaloosa County at local non-profits,” said VP Membership and Community Development Neko Stubblefield. “We look forward to the Day of Caring every year and hope our service at the Emerald Coast Science Center and Crestview Manor has made a positive impact. Giving back through service is one way to enhance our community!”  

CHANGES

PAWS Executive Director has tendered her resignation

On Thursday afternoon, the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society announced that Executive Director Tracey Williams has tendered her resignation to PAWS to pursue new opportunities.

• Williams has served as Executive Director of PAWS since July 2020 and plans to leave PAWS by late February.

“I am extremely humbled and proud that the previous and current leadership recognized the need for drastic changes and allowed me the opportunity to manage an extraordinary shift in animal welfare protocols based on input from independent expert assessments and best practices,” said Williams. “Together, the staff, leadership, and volunteers rallied to implement life-saving measures for animals and business decisions that will protect and sustain PAWS as a critical resource for Okaloosa County. I couldn’t be more proud of our collective accomplishments,” she continued.

In a statement, PAWS President Randy Holland said the following:

“PAWS is grateful to Ms. Williams for her many accomplishments during her tenure, including: Instituting critical recommendations from a 2015 assessment from UF Maddie’s Fund, updating outdated business models that had PAWS operating at a loss, acquiring more than $1.5 million in donor and grant revenue, and implementing life-saving protocols that have increased live outcomes and reduced our euthanasia rate by 82%”, said President Randy Holland.

Holland and Williams both offer that the challenges associated with animal welfare continue to be a challenge nationwide, but that PAWS is positioned better than ever to continue in its mission to protect vulnerable animals.

PAWS has announced that Ashley Degraaf has accepted the position of Interim Executive Director for 90 days, during which time PAWS will commence the search for the next permanent Executive Director.

IMPROVEMENTS

14 additional miles of dirt roads in Okaloosa to be improved with lime-rock and chip sealed

Okaloosa County maintains approximately 140 miles of dirt roads throughout both District 1 and District 3 North. 

• According to Commissioner Nathan Boyles, these cost nearly three times as much to maintain as a paved road, not to mention increased vehicle maintenance costs for citizens and the environmental damage caused to County creeks and rivers.

Okaloosa County has been working towards capping all of these roads with lime-rock to stabilize the roads and provide a safer, better, more stable road surface, in addition to minimizing sediment runoff into local creeks and rivers.

Back in February 2, 2020, the Half-Cent Surtax Advisory Committee approved a recommendation of $2 million per year and the Board of County Commissioners approved the spending on February 16, 2021. 

• Mohawk Valley Materials, Inc. was awarded the first 31 miles of dirt roads to cover with lime-rock and completed the job in just 72 days. 
• 25 of those improvements have already been chip sealed.

As part of the next set of dirt roads, Okaloosa County is set to spend $1,348,885.60 to provide material, labor, and equipment to stabilize nearly 14.5 miles by placing 152,340 square yards of lime-rock material.

According to Public Works Director Jason Autrey, once the lime-rock has been placed for a period of time for observation, typically 6 months, staff will plan to have the roads chip sealed as the surface cap.

“We have been able to expand our resources because of the Half-Cent Sales Surtax,” said Autrey. “For the past five years, we had been able to do about 30 to 40 miles where we converted them from red clay to lime-rock. This past six months, with 72 days of contract time, we got 31 miles of dirt roads improve with lime-rock.”

“I want to just thanks to County staff for continuing to push this and to my fellow Commissioners for continuing to support this,” said Commissioner Nathan Boyles. “It is doing what we need it to do and I can assure you, we’re seeing it in my district.”

According to Commissioner Boyles, of all of the Sutrax Infrastructure Projects, the “dirt to paved” project is completely unique in the fact that it is the sole project, to date, that is reducing future costs while making an immediate improvement for residents in those areas.

“We did the math and it’s just less expensive to maintain a paved road than it is to maintain a dirt road,” he said. “It has an amortization where it actually pays for itself, which is unique. Over the next 20 or 30 years, the county will get paid back every penny we’re spending on these roads through reduce maintenance costs.”