Holiday time for Destin's snowbirds

What a busy week it has been, starting last Saturday when a crew of 25+ volunteers followed the snowbird float driven by VP Timi in the annual Destin Christmas Parade. A good cardio workout for all who were busy giving beads to children along the parade route, then running to catch the truck for more supplies. Good job everyone!

Monday afternoon we had our last registration of the year. Our numbers are just shy of 400. Tuesday our meeting saw us enjoying the music of the Emerald Coast Community Band. Thanks to Nancy and her group of 50 musicians for the wonderful Christmas music. It certainly put us all in the spirit of the season. Our craft show had five tables of handmade articles. Thank you to Joanne Andrychuk for coordinating this event.

Wednesday we celebrated Christmas along the Coast at the Maravilla Condominium recreation hall. Thanks to Timi Millar who was able to reschedule this event successfully, with the traditional turkey dinner.

The club now takes a two-week break from scheduled activities for the Christmas holidays. Members will be celebrating; some travel back home or to family nearby. Others have traditional dinners with friends and groups will gather in recreation halls in their condo complexes for larger gatherings.

Past-president Don Cooksey and Carol have been spending Christmas in a unique way for 12 years. They and several other snowbirds give of their time on Christmas Day to serve a full turkey luncheon at the Waterfront Mission in Fort Walton Beach. The Mission's statement is: To demonstrate God’s goodness by providing rescue and recovery services in Jesus’ name.  What a wonderful way to celebrate the season.

This group started in 1949 in Pensacola to help local fishermen who found themselves hungry and homeless after spending their earnings. The Fort Walton location opened in 1985, offering hope by providing shelter, food, clothing, drug and alcohol recovery programs and training in vocational and educational programs.

This year the Destin Snowbird Club also supported this charity with a $400 donation. You can help, too, by bringing or purchasing donations of used items to the Fort Walton Bargain Center, 110 Hollywood Blvd. Proceeds from the sale of these items help to fund the Mission’s programs.

However you spend the next two weeks, we hope to see you back at the Roost in January ready for our full slate of activities and events. Check out the listings at www.destinsnowbirds.org.

Nancy Hewitt, publicity director for the Destin Snowbirds, can be reached at pnatthebeach@gmail.com.