SPONSORED BY
Good morning!
Okaloosa County School District celebrated its new free Employee Health Clinic with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, providing healthcare access for district staff. Niceville softball upsets No. 1 Pace 5-2 behind Noles’ three-run homer, ‘Community Care Day’ returns to Fort Walton Beach May 2 with free supplies and family activities, ‘Used To Be A Band Kid’ fundraiser returns to Fort Walton Beach on April 11 supporting music education, and Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast names a new Chief Medical Officer.
GIVING BACK
‘Used To Be A Band Kid’ fundraiser returns to FWB on April 11, supporting music education
From giving back to investing in the future, FPL is powering strong communities. Learn more here.
A Fort Walton Beach nonprofit is bringing together former band students, current musicians and community members this month to raise money for music education programs serving children with learning differences.
- The Full Circle Music Foundation will host its annual “Used To Be A Band Kid” fundraiser on April 11 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Emerald Coast Science Center. Live Oak Fiber is presenting the event, which features performances, interactive experiences and vendor booths.
Founded in 2021, the Full Circle Music Foundation works to expand access to music education through partnerships with Grow Your Gift Conservatory of Music, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast and local schools. The organization is a nonprofit partner of United Way Emerald Coast.
This year’s fundraiser will support the launch and expansion of the foundation’s after-school music program for children with learning differences. The program offers a structured environment designed to strengthen focus, executive functioning and self-confidence through music instruction.
SPONSORED
It’s the perfect season to tee up and enjoy the ride.
It’s the perfect season to tee up and enjoy the ride.
- With auto loan rates as low as 4.74% APR, Eglin Federal Credit Union can help you go farther—for less.
Shop for your new or used vehicle at any participating dealer to apply for on site financing with Eglin Federal Credit Union, or apply online at eglinfcu.org/auto.
Your best round starts with a great drive.
Eglin Federal Credit Union. Where members matter most.
GAMES
WordroW: April 6, 2026
WordroW is brought to you by Fort Walton Beach Chiropractic – keeping your mind sharp and your spine aligned, one game at a time.
Can you guess today’s 5-letter word in six tries?
WordroW is Get The Coast’s daily word puzzle featuring local words, places, and phrases from our community. You have six guesses to find the mystery word – green letters are correct and in the right spot, yellow letters are in the word but wrong position, and gray letters aren’t in the word at all.
BUSINESS
Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast names new Chief Medical Officer
Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast has appointed Dr. Claudia Emami as its new Chief Medical Officer, bringing more than two decades of clinical and physician leadership experience to the Walton County hospital.
- Dr. Emami, a board-certified pediatric surgeon who holds an MD, MBA, MPH and fellowship designation from the American College of Surgeons, assumed the role March 30.
She arrives from Memorial University Medical Center, a 711-bed Level I trauma center in south Georgia, where she served as associate chief medical officer overseeing quality and patient safety, medical staff operations, regulatory readiness and physician engagement.
“Dr. Emami’s experience will be invaluable as we continue our commitment to the patients we serve,” said Trey Abshier, President and CEO of Sacred Heart Emerald Coast.
SPORTS
Niceville softball upsets No. 1 Pace 5-2 behind Noles’ three-run homer
With Chiles surging ahead in the region standings, Niceville needed every win it could get to stay in the race for the No. 1 seed. Thursday night, the Lady Eagles delivered one worth remembering, knocking off a Pace team ranked No. 1 in Florida and No. 16 nationally, 5-2.
But it was a win that took everything Niceville had.
Pace took an early lead on solo home runs from Kamryn Pierce and Kennedy Franz, but Niceville answered both times. Carnley Summerlin went 2-for-3 with two doubles, and Molly Mayfield added an RBI double to keep the Lady Eagles within striking distance.
Then Briana Noles, in just her sixth or seventh at-bat after missing six weeks with an injury, crushed a three-run homer in the fifth to put Niceville ahead for good.
- Chloe Bailey was sharp in the circle, tossing a complete game with seven strikeouts and zero walks on just 89 pitches.
GIVING BACK
‘Community Care Day’ returns to Fort Walton Beach May 2 with free supplies, family activities
From giving back to investing in the future, FPL is powering strong communities. Learn more here.
The Company of Heaven’s ‘Help Someone Today’ initiative will host its annual Community Care Day on Saturday, May 2, at the Northwest Florida Fairgrounds, now known as the Rigdon Center, offering free essential supplies and family entertainment to local residents.
- The free, family-friendly event runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is open to the public.
Community Care Day aims to connect local families with basic necessities while creating a space for neighborhood connection and support.
Attendees can receive food boxes, toiletries, hygiene essentials, clothing for adults and children, infant supplies and pet supplies. The event will also feature kids’ activities, community engagement booths, raffles, prizes and family entertainment.
SCHOOL
Okaloosa County School District celebrates free Employee Health Clinic with ribbon-cutting
The Okaloosa County School District officially opened its new Employee Health Clinic on Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Okaloosa Technical College Fort Walton Beach Campus on Lewis Turner Boulevard.
- Community leaders, elected officials, school board members, and representatives from the Fort Walton Beach and Crestview Chambers of Commerce joined district staff for the event, which drew a large turnout despite gusty winds.
The clinic, operated in partnership with Marathon Health, will provide district employees and their dependents enrolled in the OCSD health plan with free medical services and no-cost prescriptions. The facility will also offer employees their own dedicated healthcare provider with appointment times built around the school district’s schedule.
Superintendent Marcus Chambers traced the clinic’s origins back roughly five or six years to a school board meeting where members pushed back on rising health insurance costs.
Chambers said the district moved from a fully insured model to a self-funded healthcare plan, a shift that has allowed OCSD to hold costs flat while saving money for both the district and its employees. He said the district had already expanded services before the clinic’s opening, adding telehealth and mental health services for employees.
“When people come together to formulate a solution, that’s when great things happen,” Chambers said. “We are not increasing our costs. We’re able to save money as a school district, but even more importantly, we’re able to save money for our employees while also providing better services.”
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Monday. Help us shape the future of local news and make a meaningful impact on your community. Click here to learn how you can support us!
p.s. What did you think of this morning’s newsletter? Hit the reply button and let me know!
Jared
Published with ♥ by Get The Coast.
Did someone forward you this email? Subscribe here.
124 Eglin Parkway SE Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548