Community happenings

International Potluck Dinner Challenge and Raffle
An event for the Relay for Life — ECJC “Chai” Five Team from 5:30 to 9 p.m. March 7 in the Christ the King Episcopal Church Meeting Hall, 480 N. County Hwy. 393 in Santa Rosa Beach. Entrance fee is an international dish to share. Call 598-6101.

Weiners on the Run
The Florida Dachshund Rescue will host the “Doxie Races” as part of the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society’s “New Leash on Life Dog Walk/Run” and Adoptathon from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. March 7 at the Fort Walton Beach Landing. The races begin at 1 p.m. Donation of $4 at the Florida Dachshund Rescue booth to enter. Call 243-1525.

Bridgeway Senior Program
Bridgeway Senior Program will deliver the following meals the week of March 9-13:
•Monday: Meatloaf.
•Tuesday: Chicken Alfredo.
•Wednesday: BBQ rib patty.
•Thursday: Turkey pot roast.
•Friday: Beef chili.

Boating seminars
Boating seminars, geared toward local boaters, begin at 7 p.m. at the University of West Florida Coombs Campus on Lovejoy Road in Fort Walton Beach. Registration is available on-line at www.uwf.edu or call 315-0686.
Seminars include:
•March 9: Anchoring.
•March 16: Using VHF and VHF DSC radios.
•March 23: How To Use A Chart.
•March 30: On Board Weather Forecasting.

Emerald Coast Autism Society
The Emerald Coast Autism Society will present first hand accounts from Sarah McCarren and William Keeley, two adults with autism who are college graduates, and a panel presentation from 6:30 to 8 p.m. March 10 at Horizons of Okaloosa County, 123 Truxton Ave. in Fort Walton Beach. Call 426-1910.

Florida Trail Association
The Florida Trail Association will hold the following events. Visit http://westgate.floridatrail.org or call the listed number.
•March 13: Beach hike at 8 a.m. on the Dunes Trail with lunch afterwards. Call 932-5469.
•March 14: Volunteers needed for trail maintenance on Eglin at 8 a.m. Call 682-6098 or 546-1172.
•March 14: A hike in Blackwater Forest at 8 a.m. Call 994-5944.
•March 15: Wake up hike at 6 a.m. with breakfast afterwards. Call 995-4267.
•March 21: A 7.6 mile hike on Eglin from Hwy. 85 to Jr Walton Pond at 8:30 a.m. Call 683-0803.
•March 21: Volunteers needed for trail maintenance in Blackwater Forest at 8 a.m. Call 983-2557.
•March 22: A hike in Blackwater River State Forest on the Jackson Red Ground Trail at 8 a.m. Call 939-0966.
•March 24: Monthly meeting at LaRumba restaurant in Niceville at 6 p.m. Visitors welcome. Call 682-6098.
•March 27: Annual Conference and Hiking Festival at Stephen Foster State Park at White Springs, Fla. Call (877) HIKE-FLA.
•March 28-29: A hike at 8 a.m. from Karick Lake to Hurricane Lake with optional camping. Call 623-1646.  

Spring Craft Show
The second annual Spring Craft Show will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 14 at the Destin Community Center. Admission is free. Food and drinks will be available for purchase.
Vendor space is available. Call 654-5184.
        
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.
•Brazilian Martial Arts: Offered at 8 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays.
•Chair Yoga: Meets at 11 a.m. Thursdays. Cost is $2.
•Duplicate bridge: At 9:30 a.m. Mondays and Thursdays and 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the Community Center Annex. Entry fee: $5. No partner needed.
•French/Italian classes: Private classes by “mother tongue” instructor. Call Mario Zannetti at 650-0992.
•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 the Community Center Annex. Call 837-1967.
•Jazzercise class: 6 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
•Line dancing: Class from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Wednesdays. Cost $5 per class and open to all men and women.
•Low impact aerobics: From 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Bring water and towel. Cost $3 per session.
•Pilates: Class held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Cost $5/class.
•Table tennis: Lessons for all ages.
•Walk to music: From 8 to 9 a.m. Monday and Wednesday through Friday.
•Woodcarving: Coastal Wood Carvers meet at 9 a.m. Fridays. Fee: $3 per class.
•Zumba: Dance fitness class at 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays and 10 a.m. Thursdays. Cost $6 per class.

Destin YMCA
If interested in the following events, contact the Destin Family YMCA at 837-8440.
•Aquatic Center: Water fitness classes from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Daily fees available for recreation swim only.
•Swim team: For developmental group and age group to seniors. Call for information.

Handicapped Citizens Drive
The Knights of Columbus, Christ Our Redeemer Council #13527, annual Handicapped Citizens Drive (Tootsie Roll Drive) will be held March 11-15 at Wal-Mart in Destin and Winn Dixie and Ace Hardware in Bluewater Bay. A Tootsie Roll is given for each donation.
Funds will help Horizons, Inc., Special Olympics and Resources for Human Development.

Casino Night
The Junior League of the Emerald Coast will host a Casino Night March 14 at The Palms Resort in Destin. Dress in cocktail attire and give lady luck a try with complementary $20,000 in playing money. Dance to the tunes of Monte Carlo Entertainment and enjoy door prizes, silent auction items, and heavy hors d’oeuvres.
Tickets are $60/advance and $70/door. Call 862-2665 or purchase online at www.jlec.org
Proceeds will provide the fundraising foundation for the JLEC to continue community initiatives.

Women’s Expo
Cumulus Broadcasting will host a “Women’s Expo” from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 14 at the Emerald Grande in Destin. The Expo will include shopping, entertainment, free health screenings, demonstrations, educational presentations, cooking exhibits, free samples and prizes.
Parking and admission is free. Call 243-2323.

Bird Walks
Choctawhatchee Audubon Society will hold the following bird walks. Binoculars, field guide, bug spray, hat, sturdy shoes, sunscreen, long pants and water are recommended.
•March 14: To Shoal Sanctuary. Meet at Valparaiso Badcock parking lot at 7:30 a.m. Call 651-0392
•March 28: Around the Bluewater Bay/Lake Pippin area. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at Bluewater Bay Winn Dixie parking lot. Call 807-2666.

Volunteers needed for Cattle Barons’ Ball
The Emerald Coast Unit of the American Cancer Society needs community volunteers for the second annual Cattle Barons’ Ball to be held at  6 p.m. March 14 at Destin Commons.
Volunteers are needed for numerous areas to be staffed such as entry registration, logistics, decorating, silent auction, ambassador hosts and many more. Individuals, civic organizations and churches are encouraged to volunteer.
A limited number of Baron/Baroness sponsorships are available, as well as table sponsorships and individual tickets. To volunteer, or for sponsor and ticketing information, call 244-3813, Ext. 120.

Model search
modelscoutbennett  and bennettprophoto of Destin will host Wilhelmina model management for a model search from  10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 15 at the Country Inn and Suites Hotel in Destin. Ages are 5 and up; no height requirement. No photos are necessary. Venue fee is $40 to participate. Pre-register at 625 Harbor Blvd., Bldg. 1 prior to the event or at the door. Call 424-6095.

Financial seminar
Sacred Heart Senior Services and Mainstay Financial Group, Inc. present a free seminar on Financial Abuse and Fraud at 10 a.m. March 16 in the Suite 3 Resource Center conference room at Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast. To register , please call 278-3600 or (877) 416-1600.

Career and Job Fair
The Career Resource Center at Northwest Florida State College will host an area-wide Career and Job Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 18 at the Niceville Campus.
There are limited openings for area businesses who would like to participate. The deadline to apply is March 2. Call the NWF State College Career Resource Center at 729-5227.

Fish Fry Fundraiser
The Destin History & Fishing Museum will hold its annual Fish Fry Fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 21 at the Museum, 108 Stahlman Ave. Live music provided by Southern Jam.
Advance tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the Museum. Call 837-6611.

Destin Commons
Events planned at Destin Commons in March include the following to be held in Center Plaza. Call 337-8700 or visit www.DestinCommons.com for more information.
•On the Coast Magazine sixth Anniversary Celebration from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 21. A family fun day with plenty of activities for children, demonstrations and special guests.
•Spring Fashion Show from 4 to 5 p.m. March 28. Spring fashions, make up tips and the latest in hair styles from Avantgarde.

Memorial Service
Emerald Coast Hospice will hold its annul Community Memorial Service from 2 to 3 p.m. March 21 in the coffee shop of Calvary Chapel, 415 NE Racetrack Road in Fort Walton Beach. To donate a loved one’s photograph, call 862-1069.

Metaphysical Festival
The seventh annual Emerald Coast Metaphysical Festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. March 21 and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 22 at the Navarre Conference Center at Days Inn, 8700 Navarre Parkway (U.S. 98). The public is invited.
The festival, hosted by Unlimited Horizons of the Emerald Coast, will feature vendors, psychics, readers, healers and speakers.
A donation of $10 will be requested at the door. For a listing of participants, visit www.unlimited-horizons.org

new4Green Thumb Garden Club
The Green Thumb Garden Club of Santa Rosa Beach will host a motorcoach tour to the annual Mobile Flower Show, “Festival of Flowers,” March 28-29. Trip also includes shopping in Fairhope, area touring, a dinner cruise and Bellingrath Gardens. For a brochure, call 627-0441. 

Boating course
A 5-week public boating course will be conducted from 7 to 9 p.m. Mondays beginning March 30 at the Anchorage Building, 404 Green Acres Road in Fort Walton Beach.
Instruction is free, with a $45 charge for materials. Registration is available at www.uwf.edu. Call 315-0686.

Cultural and Environmental Institute
The Mattie M. Kelly Cultural & Environmental Institute at Northwest Florida State College will host the second annual Mattie Kelly Environmental Symposium on the Choctawhatchee Basin from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 1 at the college’s Niceville campus.
The theme for this year’s symposium is “Choctawhatchee Basin: Developing a Sustainable Vision” and will discuss sustainability and topics related to the Choctawhatchee Basin and its watershed. The registration fee is $25 and includes all symposium materials as well as lunch and an evening reception. Register online at www.mattiekellyinstitute.org or call 729-5376 through April 1.
The second annual Choctawhatchee Estuary Family Festival takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 2 at Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park in Niceville. The festival is a free family and community event for all ages.

Archaeology
The Fort Walton Beach Heritage Park and Cultural Center in Fort Walton Beach will host archaeologists from around the area for demonstrations and educational displays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 11.

Children’s Hospital anniversary
Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital is looking for all current and former patients, physicians, nurses and staff members to help celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the hospital from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 18  at the Greenhut Auditorium on Sacred Heart Hospital’s main campus in Pensacola.
A special Web page has been set up for all those affected by Children’s Hospital in the last 40 years to share personal care stories. E-mail mystory@sacredhearthospital.org or call 969-1372.

Mom and Me Tea
The Fort Walton Beach Heritage Park and Cultural Center will host its first “Mom and Me Tea” for students in grades two and up from 12:30 to 3 p.m. May 2 in the Yulee Way Lazarus Education Room inside the Indian Temple Mound Museum in downtown Fort Walton Beach. Enjoy the sights, smells and tastes of the early 1900s. 
Cost is $10/per pair with $5 for each additional child. Reservations required at 833-9595.
 
Billy Bowlegs Boat Poker Run
The ABWA Billy Bowlegs Boat Poker Run, annual Scholarship Fundraiser sponsored by the ladies of the Emerald Coast Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association, is scheduled for May 16. Participants will enjoy the casino room at 2 p.m. and the party at 3 p.m. where local restaurants donate their specialties for the boaters to enjoy. For more information, call 863-9082.
To obtain information about being a sponsor or donating food, call 685-8027.