On Saturday, January 28th, Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast commemorated the 20-year anniversary of the hospital. The celebratory event was held under a tent on the campus. Attendees included community supporters as well as dozens of hospital associates, providers and volunteers who have been with the facility since it opened. “Having nearly 60 people who have been here since Day One is a special statement,” said Bryan Walrath, President, Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast. “We have a culture that is second to none and donors who continue to significantly support our efforts to meet the healthcare needs of our community as the only hospital in Walton County.“ Walrath opened the event and led the program. Roger Hall, who served as hospital president from 2002 until 2020, provided a reflection and prayer. Participants honored 20-year associates, providers and volunteers. They also enjoyed food including tacos and barbecue catered by Grayton Beach Catering and live music provided by The Backsliders. In 2000, community members began a purple ribbon campaign, raising $20 million toward hospital construction, with the land being donated by the St. Joe Company. The next year, construction began on the $53 million facility. Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast opened on January 27, 2003. Since then, the hospital has added a joint replacement program, the Family Birth Place, a heart and vascular center, robotic spine surgery services and expanded primary and specialty care services throughout the area. Most recently, the hospital opened a Level II NICU, two new women’s diagnostic... Read More

  By Steve Ortner South Walton County, Florida is home to some of the most pristine and unique waterways in the world. Besides being home to the beautiful emerald green waters and snowy white sand of the Gulf of Mexico, the Santa Rosa Beach area is also home to several rare coastal dune lakes, rivers, bayous and streams, as well as the fabulous and relatively underutilized Choctawhatchee Bay. From the incredible sites and wildlife at 4-mile Creek in Freeport to the Camp Helen State Park and Powell Lake at the extreme eastern portion of Walton County, all of these different locations provide something new and exciting for every paddler and adventurer. The various state park entrances and locations throughout South Walton County are great places to put your watercraft into the water. Day and Annual State Park passes can be obtained at any of the park entrances, and they provide unlimited access to all of the state parks within Florida on a daily or yearly basis. As many of you know, South Walton is home to about a dozen coastal dune lakes. These lakes have been so named because of their location and their unique ability of routinely filling and emptying via the fluctuation in the tide and the resulting salt water from the Gulf of Mexico. These bodies of water are some of the most unique in the world, as there are only a few dozen or so similar bodies of water found throughout the world, namely in New... Read More