Community health events

All area codes are 850 unless specified

To register for Sacred Heart events, call 278-3600 or toll-free (877) 416-1600 unless noted


Breastfeeding classes
Regina Humphrey, lactation consultant for the Family Birth Place at Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast, will present Breastfeeding 101 at 6 p.m. Sept. 2 and Sept. 25 in the education room on the second floor of the Family Birth Place. The cost is $10 per expectant mom. Registration required.

Infant massage classes
The Family Birth Place at Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast now offers infant massage classes to improve circulation, aid the digestive tract and promote neurological development in infants. The first class will begin at 6 p.m. Sept. 3 in the education classroom in the Family Birth Place.
The one-hour class will meet each Wednesday for four weeks. The cost of the program is $60 and a new session will begin on the first Wednesday of every month. Registration required.

Diabetes Support Group
Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast will host the next monthly Diabetes Support Group at 6 p.m. Sept. 3 in the hospital’s Resource Center Suite 1 education classroom. A physician referral is not required to attend. To join, call Jenny Stuckey at 278-3683.

Adult Vaccines seminar
Dr. Patrick Ferry, internal medicine physician with Sacred Heart Medical Group, will present a free seminar on “Adult Vaccines: What You Need to Know” at 10 a.m. Sept. 9 in the Suite 3 Resource Center conference room at Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast. Registration required.

Baby Weigh Day
The Family Birth Place at Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast invites moms with healthy babies under the age of one year-old to attend a monthly “Baby Weigh Day” from 1 to 2 p.m. Sept. 10 in the education classroom on the second floor of the Family Birth Place. Registration required.

Joint Replacement classes
The Joint Replacement Program at Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast will host education classes to help people learn more about the joint replacement process at 10 a.m. Sept. 10 and 24 in the hospital’s Resource Center Suite 3 conference room.
To attend a class, call Angie Arnett at 278-3646.

Emerald Coast Health Fair
The Emerald Coast Health Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 13 at Santa Rosa Mall in Fort Walton Beach. Activities, information and demonstrations focus on good health and healthy lifestyle choices. Admission is free and free health screenings will be held. Call 244-08191.

Sacred Heart Medical Park walk-in services
To better meet the needs of patients who need to see a doctor but cannot wait to make an appointment, Sacred Heart Medical Park in Destin is adding walk-in medical care services for patients with minor illnesses or injuries, including colds, sore throats, earaches, sprains, cuts, minor burns or other minor ailments.
Located on the Okaloosa/Walton county line on U.S. 98, Sacred Heart Medical Park walk-in medical services are available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Family Birth Place tours
Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast will offer weekly tours of the Family Birth Place at 6 p.m. every Monday at the welcome desk in the Family Birth Place. Call 278-3995 to make a reservation for a tour.

Volunteer opportunities at Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast is currently seeking volunteers interested in working in the hospital’s gift shops, including the main Gift Shop and The Baby Boutique in the new Family Birth Place. Call 278-3081.

American Red Cross training
American Red Cross training is available in Okaloosa and Walton Counties. For information on courses and prices or to register, call (800) 773-7620 or visit www.northwestflorida.redcross.org.

Breastfeeding class
A free class, “Breastfeeding Basics: What to Really Expect after you’ve been expecting,” taught by an accredited La Leche League leader and experienced breastfeeding mom will be held from 6-8 p.m. Thursdays at Suncoast Healthcare Professionals, 128 NE Eglin Parkway in Fort Walton Beach. RSVP at 864-0800.

Bridgeway Center
Bridgeway Center offers classes in social skills, teen issues and adult coping skills as well as classes in parenting, driving, chemical dependency and anger management. Call 833-7400 or 689-7810 for cost and times.

Co-dependency Anonymous
A new Co-dependency Anonymous group meets at 4 p.m. Sundays at 52 Beal Parkway in Fort Walton Beach. Call 240-0384.

Brain disorders support group
A new support group for parents and caregivers of children and adults with from neurobiological brain disorders meets at 7 p.m. Thursdays at the Mental Health Association Building, 571 Mooney Road in Fort Walton Beach. Residents of Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties are invited. Call 936-7924.

Better Breathers Support Group
The American Lung Association of Florida, Northwest Region, announces the Better Breathers Support Group of Okaloosa County will meet from 2-3 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month at American Homepatient, 913 N. Beal Parkway, Suite H, in Fort Walton Beach. Call 478-5864.

Weight management support group
The Treasury: A Weight Management Support Group, will meet from 6-7 p.m. Wednesdays at Destin United Methodist Church in Room 602, Avery Hall. Nursery available. Contact Tina Kaple at kaple@cox.net or 865-0791 for information.

Peer-to-peer support group
The Mental Health Association holds a support group for persons with mental-health disorders and disabilities at 3 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of the month at 571 Mooney Road in Fort Walton Beach.

Narcotics Anonymous
The 24-hour hotline for Narcotics Anonymous is 496-1673 in Fort Walton Beach.