FOOD+DRINK

Emerald Coast Realtors to host 4th Annual BBQ Cook-Off for local adult living facilities

The Emerald Coast Association of REALTORS® Community & Military Outreach (CAMO) Committee is set to host its 4th Annual BBQ Cook-Off on March 9th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 3rd Planet Brewing in Niceville. 

• All proceeds from the event will benefit local adult living facilities, Twin Cities Pavilion and Crestview Manor.

The family-friendly charity cook-off will feature BBQ samplings from the area’s top competitors, a silent auction, and a kids craft table. Independent judges will taste entries throughout the event and award first, second, and third place winners. Taste Testers can sample each BBQ entry and vote for the Taster’s Choice and Golden Spatula Award.

Grill Masters are invited to compete, with a registration fee of $65 for a 3’x6′ table, which includes two drink tickets and all serving supplies. 

Taste Tester tickets are available for $30, including samples from each competitor, two drink tickets, and one vote. Children under 12 can purchase a tasting ticket with one vote for $12, and additional votes may be purchased for $1.

• To register as a competitor, purchase Taste Tester tickets, or learn more about the event, visit https://www.emeraldcoastrealtors.com/camo-bbq.

The Emerald Coast Association of Realtors®, one of 1,500 local chapters of the National Association of REALTORS®, covers Okaloosa and Walton Counties and has more than 5,200 Realtor® members from across the Florida Panhandle. 

The Community & Military Outreach (CAMO) Committee is responsible for ECAR’s philanthropic commitment, focusing on enriching the lives of people in the communities they serve.

SCHOOL

Destin High School launches Radio Broadcasting Club in partnership with Destin FM

Destin High School has announced the launch of a new Radio Broadcasting Club in partnership with Destin FM, offering students a unique opportunity to explore the world of radio and broadcasting.

• The club aims to provide hands-on experience in various aspects of radio broadcasting, including voice talent development, broadcast journalism, and radio show hosting.

Students will have the chance to learn from industry professionals and develop skills that could lead to future opportunities in the field.

“Destin High School is extremely excited to partner with Destin FM to offer this unique opportunity for students to learn all about the world of broadcasting and digital Media,” said Donald Williams, Executive Director of Destin High School. “Providing students opportunities like this allows them to pour back into their local community in meaningful ways and also provides valuable skills needed for life.”

The Radio Broadcasting Club will offer live broadcasting opportunities, allowing student talent to host shows on Destin FM. Additionally, the club will feature a School to Work Pipeline Program, aimed at paving the way for students to enter the broadcasting industry.

An interest meeting for the Radio Broadcasting Club is scheduled for March 27 at 3:30 PM in the school’s “Shark Tank” meeting space.

• The club is open to all students interested in exploring the field of broadcasting, whether they aspire to become journalists, radio hosts, or simply wish to try something new.

HEALTH

Cardiac patients find hope and healing at Fort Walton-Destin Hospital’s Rehab Center

HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital held a media day and open house last month for its Cardiac Rehabilitation Center, highlighting the facility’s comprehensive approach to improving patients’ heart health.

• February was American Heart Month, making it an opportune time to showcase the rehabilitation program and its impact on the local community since opening about eight years ago. 

“Our cardiac rehab program provides a holistic strategy to enhance patients’ overall well-being,” said Jessica Bailey, Assistant Chief Nursing Officer. “The wrap-around care focuses on medically supervised exercise, nutritional counseling, stress management and emotional support.”

The program aims to set clear, achievable goals for each patient, targeting improved cardiovascular health and preventing worsening of existing conditions. Through monitored exercise regimens tailored to individuals’ needs, educational sessions about lifestyle changes and emotional support systems, participants can regain control of their body weight, lower cholesterol and reduce risks of future cardiac events.

• To enroll, patients need a physician’s referral verifying the medical necessity of supervised rehabilitation.

“This ensures the program addresses patients’ specific medical histories,” said Dr. John Dudley, a structural and interventional cardiologist with the hospital. “Some people have near-normal heart function and can start at a higher activity level. Others with severe limitations require a slower build-up.”

The most common cardiac conditions and procedures requiring rehabilitation include cardiomyopathy, chest pain, congenital defects, artery disease, stenting, heart attack, transplant, valve replacement and peripheral artery disease.

Cinthia Hayden, a registered nurse who directs the program, said patient volumes continue growing. The center worked with 500 new referrals last year, though not all completed the full program.

• “We currently have 117 patients actively in rehab,” Hayden said. “They attend sessions two or three times per week, exercising about an hour per visit.”

A standard 36-session rehab course maximizes insurance benefits, according to Hayden. But for patients needing extended recovery, like veterans with additional VA coverage, Hayden tailors plans to facilitate continued progress.

The center also offers maintenance programs allowing graduates to pay affordable “gym-like membership fees” for ongoing access. Hayden has patients who have continued supervised workouts for up to three years.

Dr. Dudley includes rehab referrals when discharging heart attack patients, given what he says is ‘undisputed research’ showing improved five-year survival rates for those completing programs versus those who do not. But demographic disparities, like lower participation rates among women, highlight the need to standardize referrals.

“By removing any gap in the process, we can hopefully eliminate disparities,” Dudley said. “If rehab was a pill to reduce mortality by 35%, patients would take it without hesitation.”

Streamlining the referral process also strengthened bonds between the rehabilitation staff and hospital cardiologists.

• “We have a great camaraderie and passion around delivering excellent cardiac care,” Dudley said. “We function as one cohesive team, which is imperative for optimal patient outcomes.”

Long-time local resident Sonia Garbo, a rehabilitation patient, credits the family-like atmosphere at the center for saving her life earlier this year.

In January 2023, Garbo’s husband woke to find her unresponsive with fixed eyes and barely breathing. He immediately started CPR and called 911. First responders used an automated external defibrillator to try shocking Garbo’s heart back into rhythm.

In the emergency room, though initial tests showed nothing of concern, Garbo suddenly coded. The cardiac team performed additional defibrillation shocks, inserted a breathing tube and urgently transferred her to the cardiac catheterization lab.

• Interventional cardiologist Dr. George Youssef identified a 100% blockage in a major heart artery which he reopened by placing a stent. Garbo remained unstable, require close monitoring and medications.

Within days, Garbo was cleared for rehabilitation to recover. She attended rehab sessions three days per week, gradually increasing endurance while learning strategies to pace her activity levels and heart rate.

“I focused on getting as much as I could out of the program during the time allotted,” she said. “The staff cheered me on while keeping me accountable.”

Four months into her rehabilitation, Garbo felt like she was not getting better, taking “two steps forward, one step back.” Her heart attack had caused atrial fibrillation (AFib) to become more pronounced, making it harder for her to progress. 

“My heart rate would increase to around 183 beats per minute,” Garbo recalled. “The staff here would be monitoring me and tell me when I was not going to be able to finish my cardio therapy.”

After these incidents, her doctor determined Garbo needed an ablation procedure to address her AFib. The procedure took five hours, and after recovering, Garbo was able to return to rehabilitation.

• “I finally started moving forward,” she said. “And the staff here started noticing too. I come three times a week, and I just started doing things at home. They encourage me, and I got more motivation to do it at home because I started feeling more confident.”

Now, nine months since her heart attack, Garbo participates in the rehabilitation program’s Phase III, where she continues her workout sessions for extended care needs.

“I felt like if I don’t show up, they’re going to call me and make sure I’m alright,” Garbo said with a smile. “I feel accountability when I’m here.”

THINGS TO DO

6th Annual Mac & Cheese Festival returns to Destin Commons

Thought macaroni and cheese was just for kids? Think again!

The 6th Annual Mac & Cheese Festival, presented by Cox & Publix Charities, is back on Sunday, March 10th, 2024 at the Destin Commons.

• This family-friendly event will feature gourmet, chef-inspired twists on the South’s favorite comfort food. Local restaurants will compete for the best mac in town.

All proceeds from this event will go to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast, which works in our community to promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging, and influence through its programs focused on academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles.

Tickets:

• $50 for VIC (Very Important Cheese tickets) includes (1) beverage ticket and a t-shirt.
• $30 for adults
• $20 for kids (5-16 years old)

Be there to sample everything for yourself and cast your vote! Click here for tickets.

SCHOOL

Okaloosa School District to host fourth annual ‘College and Career Fair’

The Okaloosa County School District and the Okaloosa Public Schools Foundation will host two college and career fairs on Tuesday, March 12, 2024.

• The purpose is to provide students in attendance with information on post-graduation employment opportunities, higher education and military service.

Juniors and seniors from Choctawhatchee, Fort Walton Beach and Niceville high schools can register and attend at Beachside Community Church at 200 Racetrack Rd. NW, Fort Walton Beach. Students can register through links provided by their schools.

Sessions:

• 8 am – 10 am: Fort Walton Beach and Niceville Students (Breakfast Provided)
• 11 am – 1 pm: Choctawhatchee Students (Lunch Provided)

The OPSF College and Career Fair is not designed to be a ‘drop-in style’ event this year. Students should plan to stay for the entire free Session. Attendees will have the chance to win prizes and gift cards. Students are responsible for their own transportation and registration is required.

• Choctawhatchee’s Registration Form
• Fort Walton Beach’s Registration Form
• Niceville’s Registration Form

Students from Baker School, Crestview High School and Laurel Hill School can attend Crestview High School’s “Choose the View” Student Job Fair from 9 a.m. to noon at Crestview High School’s gymnasium.

Vendors wishing to participate in the Beachside Community Church fair can click here for more details. Vendors for the Crestview High event may contact haydenv@okaloosaschools.com or searsk@okaloosaschools.com.

TRAFFIC

U.S. 98 westbound traffic shift near Brooks Bridge in Fort Walton Beach

The Highway 98 westbound travel lanes between Brooks Bridge and Perry Avenue will be shifted to the inside of the roadway onto temporary travel lanes, beginning the evening of Wednesday, March 6.

• This configuration will be in place to allow crews to construct the new westbound Brooks Bridge structure.

Four U.S. 98 travel lanes (two eastbound and two westbound) will remain open throughout the construction.

This work is part of the $171 million Brooks Bridge Replacement Project that includes constructing two new, parallel bridges that will increase capacity to six travel lanes from the current four-lane bridge that opened in 1966. Project completion is estimated for summer 2027.

THINGS TO DO

Gulfarium announces “C.A.R.E. on the Coast” event to support Sea Turtle Conservation

Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park announced the inaugural “C.A.R.E. on the Coast” event, scheduled for Saturday, May 4, 2024, at 3:30 PM.

• The event aims to support marine life conservation through the Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Center, the park’s non-profit arm dedicated to sea turtle rescue, rehabilitation, and release.

The C.A.R.E. on the Coast event will feature a family-friendly atmosphere with engaging activities for all ages. Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy a private dolphin presentation at the new Dolphin Oasis, a 1,000,000-gallon habitat showcasing the intelligence and beauty of dolphins.

Guests will gain an in-depth look at the operations of the Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Center and witness the efforts to save and rehabilitate sea turtles. The event will also showcase conservation-based vendors offering eco-friendly products and solutions.

• A silent auction and raffles will be held, with all proceeds directly benefiting the Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Center.

Tickets for the event are on sale now, with early registration encouraged. A 25% discount is available before May 1 using the promo code EARLYTURTLE.

Ticket Prices (with promo code EARLYTURTLE until May 1)

• Adult – $45
• Child – $26.25
• VIP – $75

Ticket Prices (without promo code and after May 1)

• Adult – $60
• Child – $35
• VIP – $100

The Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Center successfully treated over 130 sea turtles in 2023, with the average rehabilitation cost per turtle exceeding $20,000. The center focuses on conserving marine animals and their habitats, acting as a beacon for coastal conservation through rescue, rehabilitation, and public education.