Community happenings

Bird walk
Beginners and experienced birders are welcome at a Choctawhatchee Audubon Society bird walk Aug. 23. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at Fort Walton Beach Coach-N-Four parking lot to caravan to FWB/Okaloosa County Spray Fields and Holding Pond until about 10:30 a.m. Binoculars, field guide, bug spray, hat, sturdy shoes, sunscreen, long pants and water are recommended. Visit www.ChoctawhatcheeAudubon.org or call 862-6582.

Boating course
America’s Safe Boating Course, conducted by the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 14, will be held at 9 a.m. Aug. 23 at the Coast Guard Station on U.S. 98 on Okaloosa Island. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.
Cost is $35 and includes text, lunch, tour of the station and the examination. Pre-register at 243-8345 or 368-4882.

Destin Duck Derby
The Women’s Council of Realtors inaugural Destin Duck Derby is postponed due to weather.

Fishing in the Surf
Learn basics on catching bait, fish identification and how to fish in the surf at 9:15 a.m. Aug. 23 at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Santa Rosa Beach. Bring your poles. Call 267-0299.

Florida Trail Association
Float trip on Juniper Creek at 8:00 a.m. Aug. 23. Call 682-6098.

Flying Needles Quilt Exhibit:
Guild demonstrations and hands-on activities for all ages are planned from 2 to 4 p.m. Aug. 23 at The Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida.

Memorial poker run
There will be a memorial poker run Aug. 23  for Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Deputy Anthony Forgione who was killed in the line of duty June 23. The cost is $10 per rider, $15 if there’s a passenger. The run will begin at Honda Yamaha in Fort Walton Beach. Registration begins at 10 a.m. Call 305-0384.

Pancake Breakfast for Heart Walk
The City of Fort Walton Beach will host a Pancake Breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. Aug. 23 at Magnolia Grill on Brooks Street to help the City sponsored Heart Walk team raise money for the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk. Tickets are $5 per person. Call 833-9505 or purchase at the door.

S.S. C.A.R.E.S
Carrabba’s Italian Grill in Silver Sands will donate 100 percent of sales from their special lunch event on Aug. 23 to S.S. C.A.R.E.S., Silver Sands Factory Stores fundraising program to help its associates in need. RSVP at 654-9771, Ext. 1. Gelato Cafe in Silver Sands will donate 50 percent of food sales on Aug. 24 to the Silver Sands Factory Stores fundraising program.

Women’s Self Defense class
A free class,  designed to teach awareness to woman all ages, will be held at 10 a.m. Aug. 23 in the Suite 3 Conference Room at Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast. A Stranger Danger class follows at noon. Call 892-8186.

ACT/SAT workshop
A workshop to assist students in Okaloosa County High Schools who will be taking the Sept. 13 ACT and the Oct. 4 SAT will be held from 2:15–5:15 p.m. Sept. 9, 10, 15 and 16 at Fort Walton Beach High School. All materials, snacks and drinks are furnished. Students need to bring calculators. Registration deadline is Aug. 25. For information, contact Alice Hart at (615) 585-2401, e-mail Amhart1966@aol.com or contact your high school Guidance Department.

Bridgeway Senior Program
Bridgeway Senior Program will deliver the following meals the week of Aug. 25-29:
•Monday: Italian style pork.
•Tuesday: BBQ chicken breast.
•Wednesday: Hamburger patty.
•Thursday: Baked chicken.
•Friday: Smoked sausage.

Autism seminar
 The Emerald Coast Autism Society presents “Defeat Autism” with Dr. Rodney Soto at 6 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Destin Chamber of Commerce, 4484 Legendary Dr. Ste. A. This is a free seminar. Call 424-6058.

Florida Trail Association
The Florida Trail Association will hold the following events. Visit http://westgate.floridatrail.org or call the listed number.
•Aug. 26: Monthly meeting at 6 p.m. at LaRumba restaurant in Niceville.  Visitors welcome. Call 682-6098.

Booksigning
Ken Galli will sign copies of his Italian family cookbook at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 27 at Trader Vic’s in The Palms of Destin. Free drinks for the ladies. Call 585-6717.

UWF Fall Convocation
The University of West Florida will hold a Welcome Convocation 2008 at 11:30 a.m. Aug. 27 in the Center for Fine and Performing Arts Mainstage Theatre, Bldg. 82. All faculty, staff and students are invited to attend.

Linux PC Operating System
The Destin Library will host free presentations about the Linux Personal Computer Operating System at 7 p.m. Aug. 28 and Sept. 9. Pre-register at 837-8572.

Kids’ Night Out
An evening for ages 5 through 12 with games, pizza, movie and fun from 6 to 9:45 p.m. Aug. 29 at the Destin Community Center. Cost is $10/resident and $20/non-resident.  Call 654-5184 for information and to register.

Computer assistance
Volunteers will be available from 1 to 3 p.m. Aug. 30 at the Destin Library to assist people in using computers to access the Internet, write a letter, create e-mail accounts, or generally become more familiar with available technology to retrieve information. Check in at the circulation desk. Call 837-8572.

Topsail tours
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Santa Rosa Beach will hold the following tours. A $2 park entrance fee is required. For information, call 267-0299.
•Ancient Sea Turtles: Learn the facts about common sea turtles at 9 a.m. Aug. 30.
•Exotic Plants of Florida: Identification of plants at 9 a.m. Sept. 6.
•Breakfast with a Ranger: Ask questions about park wildlife at breakfast at 9 a.m. Sept. 13. Cost is $3 or bring your own breakfast.
•Dolphins: Learn about their habitat, what they eat and myths at 9 a.m. Sept. 27.

Destin Library
The following events are held regularly at the Destin Library. Call 837-8572
•Tai Chi for Arthritis: At 7 a.m.  Wednesdays. Cost is $5/class. 
•Cuddlers & Toddlers Storytime: From 3 to 3:45 p.m. Tuesdays and 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. Thursdays for ages 4 months to 4 years.
•Independent Film Series: Independent and foreign films shown at 7 p.m. the third Tuesday of each month.
•Friends of the Destin Library: Monthly meeting held at 10 a.m. the second Friday of each month.

Destin Community Center
All activities are at the Destin Community Center, unless noted. Call 654-5184 for information and to register. Persons with disabilities who require assistance are asked to notify the center 48 hours in advance.
•Abrakadoodle classes: Limited space for ages 3-5 Tuesdays and Fridays, ages 6-12 Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5 to 12 Sept. 20, art camps first Wednesday of month and other workshops. Visit www.abrakadoodle.com for class descriptions, times and costs, or call 424-5058.
•Brazilian Martial Arts: Offered at 8 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays for adults.
•Chair Yoga: Meets at 11 a.m. Mondays and Thursdays. Cost is $2.
•Destin Spiritist group: Meets from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays. Free. Registration required at spiritist_destin@yahoo.com. Call 855-4374.
•Duplicate bridge: ACBL-sanctioned duplicate bridge at 9:30 a.m. Monday at the Community Center and 12:30 p.m. Wednesday at Buck Destin Park. Entry fee: $5. Call 380-1558.
•Game room: Open to children 10 and older and under 10 accompanied by adult from 1 to 9 p.m. Monday-Friday.
•Intermediate party bridge: At 12:45 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays at Buck Destin Park. Call 837-1967.
•Jazzercise class: 6 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
•Low impact aerobics: From 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Bring water and towel. Cost $3 per session.
•Oil painting: Featuring “Bob Ross Method.” Class is $35, supplies $10 and canvas $10.
•Walk to music: From 8 to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday.
•Woodcarving: Coastal Wood Carvers meet at 9 a.m. Fridays. Fee: $3 per class.

Abrakadoodle art classes
Free art classes for toddlers ages 4 years and under will be held from 4 to 4:45 p.m. Sept. 2, Oct. 7, Nov. 4 and Dec. 2 at the Destin Library. Children will learn about artists and artist styles, develop new skills, learn about artists of distinction, demonstrate art techniques, explore creative art materials, and design original artwork.
The free classes are based on a selected book and will include a take-home art activity. Each schedule class will be limited to 15 children from the Destin area whose parents have pre-registered on a first-come, first-served basis with the library at 837-8572.

Bird walk
Nonie’s Ark Animal Encounters will host a free hour-long night walk for the Choctawhatchee Audubon Society at 7 p.m. Sept. 5 at Turkey Creek on Hwy. 20 in Niceville. All are invited but focus is on ages 4-10. Bring a flashlight/headlamp and wear bug repellent. RSVP to 862-9588.

Voter registration drive
The League of Women Voters of Okaloosa County will register voters from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 6 in the atrium of the Westwood Retirement Resort, 1001 Mar Walt Drive in Fort Walton Beach.

Mullet Festival Pageant
The annual Mullet Festival Pageant will be held Sept. 6 at Niceville High School. Deadline for entry is Aug. 30. A rehearsal will be held Sept. 4 at the school. Call 682-0031, 682-6129 or visit www.events-md.com

Christian Fiction Book Club
A newly formed Christian Fiction Book Club will begin meeting at 11 a.m. Sept. 13 at the Destin Library. The club will continue to meet on the second Saturday of each month thereafter.
According to the book club organizer, Connie Perkins, book titles will be selected by the group. Book titles not held in the Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative collection will be paid for by the members of the book club.
Individuals interested joining the book club are asked to contact Connie Perkins at 650-4843 or beachreader@hotmail.com

UWF course
UWF Continuing Education will offer “Society for Human Resource Management Certification Prep” course from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays Sept. 16 through Nov. 18 in Fort Walton Beach this fall. The course covers each of the functional areas of human resource management. Tuition is $795. Course materials valued at $695 will be provided at no additional cost to all participants.
Those who register prior to Sept. 8 will receive a discount of $50 off the tuition price. Call 474-2914.

Writers workshop
The St. Vincent de Paul Society’s writers workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 13 at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church in Niceville. Lunch is included.
Registration fee is $30 in advance, and $35 at the door. Space is limited. Call 678-7861 or 678-4466 to make reservations. Proceeds from the event will benefit the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

Volunteer Firefighter Weekend
The third annual Northwest Florida Volunteer Firefighter Weekend will be held Sept. 17-21. Visit www.nwflvolunteerffweekend.com for information or to register.

 Bird migration count
The North American Bird Migration Count in Okaloosa and Walton Counties will take place Sept. 20.
Teams of volunteers of novice and advanced birders and nature lovers, even children, are welcome to participate. Teams include at least one advanced leader, a spotter and a data taker. Some teams will begin before dawn and will finish at dusk. Contact Donald M. Ware at donware@embarqmail.com or 862-6582 to volunteer.
 
International Coastal Cleanup
International Coastal Cleanup will be held from 8 to 10 a.m. Sept. 20 at four main clean-up sites including Dune Allen Regional Beach Access, Ed Walline Regional Beach Access, Grayton Beach Access and Miramar Beach Regional Access on the western side of Pompano Joe’s. Complimentary cleanup supplies, water and Coastal Cleanup T-shirts will be provided at each access. 
For information on volunteering call 267-1216.

Reunion at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital
Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital is looking for all patients who “graduated” from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit since its opening in 1972 for a reunion and celebration to be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 20 in the Greenhut Auditorium at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola.
If you or a loved one is a Sacred Heart NICU graduate, call Cat Outzen, at 969-1372.

Kiwanis Yard Sale
The Niceville-Valparaiso Kiwanis Club will hold a Yard Sale Spectacular to benefit the Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 20. The Museum will have space available to rent for $10.
Donations will be accepted from Aug. 25-31 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday or by appointment. Call during Museum hours (Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm) or by appointment. Call 678-2615.

Emerald Coast Woodturners Guild
The Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida in Valparaiso will host the Emerald Coast Woodturning Guild as part of its Heritage Alive! Craft Series at 10 a.m. Sept. 20. The program is free and open to the public. 
 Seating is limited; call 678-2615 for a reservation.

new4Dog Daze
Dog Daze, a day of activities, entertainment, services and merchandise or dogs and their owners, will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 27 at the Fort Walton Landing.

 Sunday Afternoon at Magnolia Grill
Tom and Peggy Rice will host a wine/cheese/dessert reception from 3 to 5 p.m. Sept. 28 at Magnolia Grill in Fort Walton Beach to benefit Destin History & Fishing Museum, Heritage Park & Cultural Center and Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida.
Cost is $15/person. Call 678-2615 to purchase tickets.
 
Destin Duck Derby
The Women’s Council of Realtors inaugural Destin Duck Derby will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 4 at Destin West Beach and Bay Resort on Okaloosa Island.
Bring your pre-paid ticket to the park or buy your ducks at the door. Cost is $5 a duck or $20 for five ducks. Races begin at noon.
Enjoy the duck shop, ducky tattoos and AFLAC duck photos. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Call 543-4604.

Basket weaving class
The City of Fort Walton Beach Heritage Park & Cultural Center will offer a pine needle basket weaving class from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 4 inside the Indian Temple Mound Museum Lazarus Education Center. The cost is $50 per student and all supplies are included. Advance registration and payment by check is required at 833-9595.

Family Fall Fest
A costume contest and movie with popcorn Oct. 10 in Seaside. A scarecrow contest and band Oct. 11. Call 231-5424.

Destin History & Fishing Museum
The Destin History & Fishing Museum is offering interesting and educational tours to home school students. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Adults are $5, seniors/military, $4 and students of all ages $3. Under 5 are free. Call 837-6611.

Fit Club
The Destin YMCA is offering a “Fit Club” in partnership with The Palms of Destin. Members have access to The Palms “State of the Art” facility.  Call 837-8440 for member and non-member rates.

Training and toning demonstrations
Free accelerated strength training and toning demonstrations will be held from 10-11 a.m. Saturdays. Call 420-5044

Vessel safety checks
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary will offer free vessel safety checks on any kind of recreational watercraft from kayaks, canoes, personal watercraft, to large cabin cruisers and sailboats.
Boat owners may call to schedule by contacting Flotilla 14, Destin, at 244-5374.

Harvest House volunteers
Harvest House needs volunteers. If interested, call Lainie, 837-2277, or Caroline, 685-4013.

Heritage Museum volunteers
Volunteers are needed at the Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida, 115 Westview Ave. in Valparaiso, to meet and greet, exhibit tours, and for special events. Call 678-2615.

Hospice of the Emerald Coast
Hospice of the Emerald Coast in Crestview has openings for volunteers. Call 689-0300.

Bridgeway Center
Meals on Wheels needs volunteer drivers who possess a valid driver’s license. Arrive on site between 10 and 10:30 a.m. Each route will generally take between 45 minutes and an hour and fifteen minutes. Drivers are needed Monday-Friday, or even one day a week, for Destin and Fort Walton Beach routes. Destin routes will be based out of the Destin Senior Center at 108 Stahlman Ave. Fort Walton Beach routes will be based out of the Creative Senior Center, 31 Memorial Drive SW. Call 833-7479.
Bridgeway Center also offers classes in anger management, parenting, coping skills, drug alcohol traffic education and more.

Prayer meeting
Every Friday from noon-1 p.m., a noontime prayer meeting will be held at Grace Lutheran Church, 4325 Commons Drive. All are welcome for five minutes or the entire hour to pray for the city, nation, marketplace, revival and personal refreshing.

Soul strength and stretch
Classes for all ages and all levels of fitness are held at 5 p.m. Tuesdays at Immanuel Anglican Church in Destin. Bring mat and bottle of water. Fee is $5/class. Call 837-1943.