By Margaret Morrison, Walton County Master Gardener Ah, springtime! When many have the desire to do something about getting into gardening. The thought of growing some food for your own table becomes a thought brought to mind from many prompts we see in newspaper articles about healthy eating, healthy living, and the importance of exercise and sunlight in our lives.* Community gardens are one venue to explore, especially when you may not have the space or the permission to plant your own garden plot. What you may not know is that an opportunity for you to join in this worthwhile adventure exists here in Walton County, ready and waiting for you. Cultivate Community Gardens was established as a Section 501(c)(3) organization in 2017. It was initially the dream of Tracy Whealy Miller, a Walton County resident coming here from a background making her well versed in the advantages of growing your own food. Tracy grew up in Iowa in a family dedicated to preserving and sharing seeds. Her parents went on to found the Seed Savers Exchange, a source of high- quality seeds well known and respected in gardening circles. What she realized is that many people would like to have an opportunity to work a plot to grow items that were personally known to be GMO-free, and grown to organic standards to benefit the health of their families. Having a garden plot perhaps would allow people to grow some types of special heirloom or culturally important foods for their... Read More

 La Luna Children’s Boutique, located in Grand Boulevard at Sandestin®, will host a Spring Fashion Show and Tea Party with the Easter Bunny, presented by Spears Group and Emerald Coast Magazine, on Saturday, April 1 from 3-5 p.m. benefiting the Boys and Girls Club of the Emerald Coast. The festive spring event will take place on Grand Boulevard’s North Lawn and kick off at 3 p.m. with a kid’s fashion show, sponsored by John Lee Nissan. Models will have the opportunity to shop the boutique’s latest spring and summer styles to showcase on the runway, sponsored by Grand Boulevard at Sandestin®. La Luna is currently seeking both male and female models, ages 1-14. Those interested in participating should email karoline.kellogg@gmail.com to learn more. Following the fashion show, guests will be whisked away to a Tea Party, sponsored by Vacayzen. Attendees will enjoy sips of fresh juice and tea along with light bites from Charcuterie by Shelli and Kilwins. Kids can also dance to music from the live DJ or take part in the free Easter-themed arts and crafts activities. The Easter Bunny will make a special arrival during the tea party and take photos with children and families throughout the afternoon, courtesy of Meltdown 30A. La Luna will also be raffling off several items for guests to enter to win, including a pair of Krewe sunglasses, a dinner for four at Tommy Bahama, a La Luna gift basket and gift card, as well as one-night stays at the Courtyard by... Read More

 The Bobby J real estate team has announced its participation as a founding member of eXp Luxury Group 30A, the first-ever real estate cooperative in the area. The team is excited to launch this groundbreaking concept and leverage eXp’s innovative technology and multiple income streams to thrive in a constantly evolving market. According to Bobby Johnson, a veteran agent and member of the Bobby J team, eXp is the future of the real estate model, offering high-tech solutions and unparalleled opportunities for income growth and retention. “The recent release of the luxury division was an easy decision for us, and we are thrilled to be part of this game-changing platform,” Johnson said. As a member of eXp Luxury Group 30A, the Bobby J team will have access to a range of cutting-edge tools and resources, including a cloud-based platform for virtual meetings and training, a global network of top-performing agents, and innovative marketing strategies to reach luxury buyers and sellers. “We believe that eXp is the perfect partner for us as we continue to deliver exceptional service and results to our clients,” said Johnson. “We are excited to join forces with other top real estate professionals in the area to create a cooperative model that benefits everyone involved.” Uptown Grayton will be the location of the Luxury Group 30A office, the 5th such  eXp Luxury Branch opened in the United States. This collaborative community of real estate professionals share the same vision and values and are excited to be a... Read More

 FRIDAYS WITH FRIENDS – March 10th and 24th from 10 AM – Noon Each “Fridays with Friends” program will be open from 10 AM until noon.  Coastal Seniors will welcome members, who are 50 years and older, to our office to participate in activities, such as: card games, board games, ping pong, bingo, art classes, exercise classes, etc.  If you are interested in any of these activities, please let us know so that our volunteers can prepare. You can contact us by calling 850-280-5342, or by sending an email to: coastalseniorsofsouthwalton@gmail.com. ART CLASSES – Karen Peterson will teach CSSW members Beginner Watercolor Painting on Tuesdays in March (7th, 14th,   21st and 28th) 9am-Noon. Cost is $20. Sign up by calling 850-280-5342, or by sending an email to: coastalseniorsofsouthwalton@gmail.com.  You will take home a completed painting at the end of each class. MONTHLY MEETING – AN INTRODUCTION TO PLAYING THE UKULELE  – Friday, Mar. 17th from 11:00 AM – 1 PM.  CSSW member, Jeff Ragland, will be our teacher and introduce us to playing this fun instrument. A light lunch will be provided. Sign up by calling 850-280-5342, or by sending an email to: coastalseniorsofsouthwalton@gmail.com. PICKLEBALL – Beginner Pickleball 101 at Walton Sports Complex courts – Dates to be determined. Email Sandra Gulak at sowalpickleball@gmail.com for more information and to register. Open to Walton County residents only.  Also, please join us at the Boys and Girls Club (located behind the Coastal Branch Library) for indoor pickleball on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays... Read More

 Friday, March 10, 2023 Awkward Oxen Improv at Alys Beach Awkward Oxen Improv  takes place Fridays at 10am in the Alys Beach Amphitheater. Awkward Oxen Improv is a free, fun, interactive, and fast-paced comedy show that’s fun for groups of all ages. Join The REP’s improv troupe, The Awkward Oxen, as they play improv games, and make up scenes and songs on the spot based on audience suggestions. Don’t worry, if you suffer from a bit of stage fright you’re free to hang out and watch and get some laughs. The Repertory Theatre is Northwest Florida’s premier professional theatre company. Visit LoveTheRep.com for main stage performances and concerts throughout the year for music and theater lovers. Alys Beach Amphitheatre, 9581 E. County Hwy 30A, Alys Beach. Saturday, March 11 Alaqua Wellness Festival Alaqua Animal Refuge will host its First Annual Alaqua Wellness Festival —an event that celebrates animals, humans, and the earth, and how each coexists with one another and brings healing to the mind, body, and soul on Saturday, March 11th from 10AM – 5PM. The festival is open to guests of all ages. To learn more, visit ww.Alaqua.org. Wellness classes and workshops including yoga, Pure Barre, Chi-Gong, sound baths, nature trail tours, educational seminars and more will be offered throughout the day. In conjunction, there will be a showcase of local vendors, live music, and an array of food and beverage options. The day will conclude with a ceremonial bonfire. The Alaqua Wellness Festival is part of Celebrate!,... Read More

 Our “hard hats” go off to Habitat for Humanity of Walton County for raising over $30,000 at their 5th Annual Hard Hats & High Heels event on February 10th at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa. This esteemed Walton County organization has much to celebrate, as every penny raised will go to build a home for a single, working mother in Walton County this year. “This event is what it’s all about for our organization, assisting families in our community to build safe and affordable places to call home,” says Teresa Jones, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Walton County. Over 200 guests from various industries in our community attended the luncheon and had the chance to bid on silent auction items, play games, and then heard from keynote speaker, Nancy Francis who spoke about a Mindset of Empowerment. Change your mindset, change your future. Local Habitat for Humanity volunteer Elaine Ashman of the Merchants of Rosemary Beach, was honored with the 2023 Veronica Macias Power Woman of the Year award. Ashman is described by her peers as a familiar face on the Women Build job site. She works tirelessly for Habitat for Humanity, donating her time, knowledge, and funds to advance Habitat for Humanity’s mission and encourages others to join her in making Walton County Habitat a thriving charitable organization. “I am humbled to receive this award,” said Ashman. “Helping women in our community by volunteering my time with Habitat for Humanity is a passion, and... Read More

  Walton County School District moves toward the Spring Break with anticipation but continues its E.P.I.C. standard of work in the process! While the district celebrates its accomplishments of; earning a #3 ranking for student performance on Florida Assessments, #3 in graduation ranking with an unheard of 96.7% of Walton County students graduating, and a #3 overall ranking among Florida School Districts. We know there is much more work to do to reach #1! In addition to the outstanding state rankings, Walton County is excited to have awarded students over 2,000 CTE (Career Technical Education) course certifications. These certifications document students’ work to become employable and career ready at graduation. Congratulations to all our certificated C.T.E. students! National School Counselor appreciation week was February 6th-10th, 2023 and we want to recognize the work of all of our school’s counselors. Counselors oversee student’s academic success and help them determine the educational courses that will best help them meet their goals. Thank you, W.C.S.D. counselors, for the excellent work you do! Our music department hosted the Elementary All County Chorus in Concert on February 25, 2023, in the Freeport High School Auditorium. Students from schools across the county participated in a night of musical enjoyment. Walton County School District supports the whole child by providing extra-curricular activities, such as the arts, sports, band, etc., to help enrich students’ learning experiences. In good faith, Walton County School Board and Superintendent A. Russell Hughes have set aside $300,000.00 to support the purchase of additional... Read More

 The Walton County Snowbirds held their annual business meeting on February 23 at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Destin.  The highlight of the meeting was the presentation of two $1,000 scholarships as part of our Vivik Likite Scholarship Fund to South Walton High School Seniors Cayll Craig and Mary Margaret Cline.  Mrs. Barbara Stratton from the high school accompanied Cayll and Mary to our meeting.  Both students were very appreciative of the scholarships. Cayll is involved with both basketball and track at the high school.  He plans to attend the University of West Florida majoring in cybersecurity.  Mary Margaret does weigh-lifting at South Walton.  She is going to attend NW Florida State College and pursue her degree in education so she can be a teacher.  The scholarship money comes from a 50/50 raffle from each of our meetings.  In addition, our Singles group donated $265 to the scholarship fund by taking up a collection from our very generous singles. The club also presented a check for $2,100 to Ken Hair, CEO of Children in Crisis from the proceeds of selling 210 FundRays coupon books.  Pat Whitledge, our club secretary, diligently sells the coupon books at many of our events.  Our annual blood drive through OneBlood generate 32 pints of blood from the snowbirds. Board members who serve on our Board for at least 4 years were presented with recognition pins by past President, Donna Reed.  This year, Mike Quinn and his wife Catherine Campbell and Pat and Jim Whitledge were... Read More