Community Happenings 1-14

All area codes are 850 unless specified.

Bridal Faire

Florida Dream Weddings presents the Ninth Annual Gulf Coast Bridal Faire from 1-5 p.m. Jan. 15 at the Emerald Coast Convention Center on Okaloosa Island. Admission is $10/person; children under 5 free. Tickets are available at the event beginning at noon.

History Sandwiched-In

Author Tony Mennillo, with research editor Hank Klein, will take you on a historical journey of Destin and the Emerald Coast during a special presentation and book signing about Mennillo’s newly released book, “Salty Memories along the Coastal Highway”, during History Sandwiched-In, a free lecture at noon Jan. 18 at the Heritage Museum. Bring a sandwich. Reserve a seat at 678-2615.

Horticulture studies

The Northwest Florida Horticulture Studies Group will meet at 10 a.m. Jan. 19 at the Heritage Museum, 115 Westview Ave., in Valparaiso. The topic of the session is: “What’s in Your Garden, Friendly Natives or Exotic Monsters?” Lunch will follow at the Boathouse Restaurant.

Popcorn and Politics Party

The Democratic Women’s Club will host a Popcorn and Politics Party at 6 p.m. Jan. 19 at the Democrat Headquarters, 60 Second Ave., Unit 305, in Shalimar. The movie will be “Eleanor Roosevelt”, a documentary of one of the most influential — and controversial — first ladies in American history. The event is free; however donations are requested for drinks. Popcorn and nibbles will be available.  All local Democrats and their friends are encouraged to attend.  Call 678-0871 or 609-3367.

Topsail tours

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Santa Rosa Beach will hold the following tours. A $6 park entrance fee is required, except for Breakfast with a Ranger. Outside tours are canceled during severe weather. For information, call 267-8330.

• Jan. 20: Learn about the cold-blooded sunbathing creatures, alligators, at 1:30 p.m.

 • Jan. 27: Learn about the small, nocturnal mammals, the Choctawhatchee Beach Mouse, at 1:30 p.m.

Florida Trail Association

• Jan. 20-22: Three-day, two-night, 14-mile backpacking trip at 1 p.m. on Eglin near DeFuniak.  Eglin recreation permit required. Call 826-3605.

• Jan. 24: Monthly meeting at 6 p.m. at Ed’s Hometown Seafood & Steaks in Niceville. Call 654-1172.

• Jan. 28: Eight-mile hike at 9 a.m. at Point Washington. Call 302-528-8284.

• Jan. 29: Fifteen-mile hike at 8 a.m. on Eglin near Navarre. Eglin recreation permit required.  Call 723-5112.

• Feb. 11: Eight-mile hike at 8 a.m. on Eglin near Crestview.  Eglin recreation permit required.  Call 683-0803.

• Feb. 17-19: Three day two night 19.6 mile backpacking trip at 9 a.m. on the Nokuse section in Walton County.  Call 492-8258 or  865-7075.

• Feb. 25: Annual awards banquet at 11:45 a.m. at Bear Lake in Santa Rosa County.  Call 654-1172.

• Feb. 28: Monthly meeting at 6 p.m. at Ed’s Hometown Seafood & Steaks in Niceville. Call 654-1172.

Lecture series

The City of Fort Walton Beach Heritage Park and Cultural Center will host a free public lecture series on learning more about Northwest Florida and how to explore it. First speaker will be Dr Brian Rucker who will speak on “Treasures of the Panhandle: Journey Through West Florida” from 6-7:30 p.m. Jan. 20 inside the Indian Temple Mound Museum, followed by a book signing. Call 833-9595.

Fish Fry

Saint Rita Catholic Church, 137 Moll Drive in Santa Rosa Beach, will host a fish fry from 3-7 p.m. Jan. 20. Take out orders available. Adults are $9; children 6-12 are $3.50. Proceeds benefit community service programs including Habitat for Humanity and Saint Vincent De Paul for the poor.

Cat show

Destiny Cat Fanciers — Cat Show will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 21 and 22 at the Emerald Coast Convention Center on Okaloosa Island. Call 904- 641-1809.

Benefit tournament

A four-man-team bowling tournament to benefit Steve Hough of the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office will be held at 12:30 p.m. Jan. 22 at Fort Walton Beach Bowl. Check in at noon. Entry fee is $120, with $90 going to Hough. Call 259-7384.

 Seminar

Arbor Wealth Management will host a complimentary “Income Generation Seminar” at 10 a.m. Jan. 25 in the Arbor Wealth Conference Room on U.S. 98 in the Tops’l Commercial Center, east of Sandestin’s main entrance.  Refreshments will be served. Call 608-6121 to reserve seating.

WAM! Conference

Shelter House will host its second annual WAM! (Women and Money) Conference on empowering women to take control of their finances from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 28 at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. Registration fee is $25/person and includes all workshops, breakfast and lunch. Scholarships are available. Register online at www.ShelterHouseNWFL.org. To learn about sponsorship opportunities or to apply for a scholarship, call 243-1201.

Boating course

A Coast Guard Boating Safety Course conducted by the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 1-4 will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Jan. 28 at Coast Guard Station Destin on Okaloosa Island. Registration required by Jan. 25 at 623-980-8782 or email ryanjohnj@hotmail.com.

Pill take back

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has set up a program that allows the public to drop off unwanted, unused or expired prescription drugs during regular business hours Monday through Friday at the Destin substation on Stahlman Avenue.

JobsPlus Mobile stops

Stops for the JobsPlus One-Stop Centers will be held at the Destin Library from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. the third Thursday of every month. Jobseekers will be able to register in the EmployFlorida Marketplace database enabling them to search and apply for open positions and apply for unemployment compensation.

Training session

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and Northern Florida will host a Wish Granting Training Session Jan. 28 in the Panama City area for volunteers 21 or older in the Northwest Region. The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Wish Granters volunteer their time around their own schedule and traditionally requires one hour per week. To register, RSVP call 407-622-4673, ext. 201 or e-mail ssmith@wishcentral.org.

Jewelry making class

Emerald Coast Dancesport, 226 SE Miracle Strip Parkway in Fort Walton Beach, will host a jewelry making class from 5-8 p.m. Jan. 28. Class is $30 and includes materials to make a bracelet. Feel free to bring your own beverage. Register and pay in advance at the studio or call 664-5678.

Choctawhatchee Audubon Society

Take a bird walk with Alan Knothe Jan. 28 to the Baldwin County, Alabama, Sod Farms. Meet at 6:30 a.m. at the Twin Cities Sports Complex at the intersection of Hwy. 85N and College Road in Niceville. Call 200-6279.

• Feb. 2: Monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. in Room 140, Building D, of the Niceville campus of NWFSC. Program, presented by Alan Knothe, will be “Shorebirds of the Florida Panhandle”. Call 678-3965.

• Feb. 18: Take a birding and photography walk with Walt Spence on the nature trails of the E. O. Wilson Biophilia Center at Nokuse Plantation near Freeport. Meet at the Bluewater Bay Winn-Dixie at 7 a.m.; Freeport City Hall at 7:30 a.m.; or at the Biophilia Center at 8 a.m. Call 678-3965.

Emerald Coast Science Center

Botanical Chords, which intertwines the science of microscopy with the art of photography to create stunning images of the natural world, will be presented at the Emerald Coast Science Center, 139 Brooks St. in Fort Walton Beach, through Jan. 31.  Botanical Chords is included with your admission. Winter hours are 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 12-4 p.m. Sunday.

Old-time Saturdays

The Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida in Valparaiso announces Old-time Saturdays for children and families, programs that will engage kids by utilizing authentic historic museum collections with hands-on activities to entertain and educate. Cost is $7/child or $5/child for Museum members. Chaperones are free. Make reservations at 678-2615.

• Feb. 4: Cracker Shack — Build a pioneer house the way Florida settlers did in the 1800s.

• March 24: Outhouse Archaeology — Uncover clues about what people threw away.

Government contracting seminar

The Niceville office of accounting firm Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC (CRI) will present its third annual government-contracting seminar Feb. 7 at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. The seminar is designed to prepare government contractors with strategies for unlocking government contracting mysteries that will enhance opportunities for success in 2012.

There is a $60 registration fee, and lunch will be served. Visit the Events section of the CRI website at www.CRIcpa.com.

Cooking class

Ruth’s Secrets Revealed will be held from 12-2 p.m. Jan. 28, Feb. 18 and March 3 at Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Destin. Cost is $50/person. Make reservations at 337-5108.

National Pancake Day

IHOP invites guests to enjoy a free short stack of IHOP’s signature buttermilk pancakes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Feb. 28. In return, guests are encouraged to make a voluntary donation to support the local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital or another local charity. 

America’s Boating Course

A 5-week public boating course, America’s Boating Course 3, will be conducted from 6:30-9 p.m. on Monday nights beginning March 5 at the Anchorage building, 404 Green Acres Road in Fort Walton Beach. Tuition is free, with a $45 charge for materials.

The course covers safe boat handling, good seamanship, rules of the road, aids to navigation and piloting, tips about local waters, and more. Call 863-0874.

Seniors of Destin Program

Call the Destin Community Center at 654-5184 for more information on programs for seniors.

• Free golf lessons, 8 a.m. 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at Morgan Sport Complex. Call 685-5310.

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 3-3:45 p.m. Tuesdays and 9:30-10:15 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.

• Baton lessons: Begins in the spring. Call 699-8309.

• Chair yoga: Thursday at 10 a.m. Cost is $3/class.

• Duplicate bridge: At 9:30 a.m. Mondays and 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays and 9:30 a.m. Thursdays at Buck Destin Park. Entry fee: $6. No partner needed.

• Game room: Open to children 10 and older and under 10 accompanied by adult from 1-9 p.m. Monday-Friday.

• Intermediate party bridge: Mondays and Tuesdays at 12:45 p.m. at Buck Destin Park. Call 837-1967.

• Jazzercise class: 6 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Call 621-3055. 

• Kidz Klub: After-school program from 3:30-5:30 p.m. 

• Modern line dance: Classes from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Wednesdays beginning Jan. 11. Fee is $5/class.

• Open gym: Check ahead for times and dates open.

• Table tennis: 9 a.m. to noon Thursdays and 3-5 p.m. Tuesdays.

• Tennis Academy: A tennis program with USPTA Professional Brian Wilson at Buck Destin Park on Legion Drive. This program will be open to all ages and abilities with days and times to be determined. Group classes will be one hour long and cost $15 a session. Private lessons will be $50 an hour. To sign up or for more information, email srbtennispro@yahoo.com.

• Walking Club: Walk with music from 8-9 a.m. Monday-Friday.

• Woodcarving: Fridays at 9 a.m. Fee is $3.

• Yoga: Thursdays at noon. Cost is $5/class.

• Zumba: Classes start at 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays in January. Fee is $10/class or class cards at 10 for $70 or 20 for $100. Call 543-1507.

•  Zumba for kids: A Zumbatomic Class will start in January at 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays for children ages 4-12. Fee is $10/class or class cards at 10 for $70 or 20 for $100. Call 543-1507.

• Zumba gold: Thursday at 11 a.m. Cost is $6/class.