COMMUNITY CALENDAR Dec. 2
All area codes are 850 unless noted.
Destin City Hall
All City Council meetings, workshops, executive sessions and CRA Board meetings are held at the City Hall Annex, 4100 Indian Bayou Trail. All other board and committee meetings are held at City Hall, 4200 Indian Bayou Trail.
• City Council, 6 p.m. Dec. 4
• Public Works/Public Safety, 5:30 p.m. Dec. 12
• Harbor CRA-AC, 5:30 p.m. Dec. 13
Run/Walk/Plunge
The Aquatic Center in Destin, 4345 Commons Drive West, will host a Fun Run/Walk/Plunge fundraiser for pool reels at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 2 with refreshments, fun activities and caricatures by Mark Douglas.
MUG
The Mac Users Group will meet at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 4 in the NWFSC Student Services Center, Room 308/309. Milton (Eddie) Branch will cover two subjects, “Augmented Reality - How it works and how is it useful” and “HEIC and HEVC - What are these new Apple formats and how will they affect me.” Call 862-3327 or email jeancdutton@mac.com for information.
NARFE
The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, Emerald Coast Chapter 1428, meets at 11:30 a.m. Dec. 5 at the Olive Garden, 216 Miracle Strip Parkway in Fort Walton Beach, for a Christmas luncheon. Nomination of 2018 officers will take place at 12:30 p.m. Bring nonperishable items for Sharing and Caring. Call 424-6888.
Republican Women
The Republican Women of Okaloosa Federated will meet at 11:30 a.m. Dec. 6 at the Wyndham Garden Hotel, 575 Santa Rosa Blvd. on Okaloosa Island. There will be a Christmas Concert presented by The Voices of Valhalla, a choral group from Fort Walton Beach High School. Cost of lunch is $18/members and $20/guests. Make reservations by Dec. 2 at 651-5416 or donnapattison@cox.net.
Embroiderers’ Guild
The Sand Dunes Chapter of Embroiderers' Guild of America will hold a stitch-in from 1:30-4:30 p.m. Dec. 10 in the Religious Education building, Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church, 1200 Valparaiso Blvd. in Niceville. Visitors are welcome. Call 496-3466.
DES Spirit Nights
LuLu’s in Destin will host Spirit Night for Destin Elementary from 5-8 p.m. Dec. 11 (the second Monday of each month through April). Ten percent of food and drink sales will be donated to the Destin Elementary PTO. LuLu's is at the foot of the Mid-Bay Bridge.
Holiday Team Jingle Mingle
The Fort Walton Beach Relay For Life will get ready for Relay 2018 by choosing an event name from 6-7 p.m. Dec. 12 at VFW Post 7674 on Carol Avenue in Fort Walton Beach. RSVP by Dec. 8 to Neke.thomas@cancer .org or call 244-9042.
Parents Night Out
The Child Development Center at First Baptist Church of Destin will host a community fundraiser for the 4K program's Annual Valentine Ball Fund from 6:30-10:30 p.m. Dec. 15 at 201 Beach Drive. Child care for ages 2 and older will be available for $25/child and $5/additional sibling for parents who need and deserve a night out. Reservations are required and spots are limited. Call 598-7177 to obtain a reservation form. Full payment is required by Dec. 10 and is non-refundable.
Library to Harvest House
Through Jan. 5, Destin Library patrons can pay for their overdue fines by bringing non-perishable food or personal hygiene items to the library. These donated items go to Harvest House of Destin, Inc. to help those in need. Call 837-8572.
ADSO’s Christmas Market
The Arts & Design Society's members host the annual Arts and Crafts Christmas Market through Dec. 16, featuring an assortment of gifts, including jewelry, paintings, clay works, decorations, photographs, and note cards, all created by the members. Works are all reasonably priced. These are available in the Gallery, when the Art Center is open: Tuesday-Friday, 12-4 p.m. and Saturday, 1-4 p.m. at the Art Center, 17 First Street, SE, in Fort Walton Beach Beach. Visit http://artsdesignsociety.org. or call 244-1271.
Tai Chi Class
The Destin Library will offer one-hour Tai Chi classes with Barbara Rezmer, a certified Tai Chi for Health instructor, Monday mornings at 9 a.m. The cost is $5/session. Enrollment is limited to 12 participants with registrations (on a first-come first-served basis) accepted by phone or in person. Call 837-8572.
Caregiver Support Group
Covenant Alzheimer’s Care support group for those caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or a dementia-related illness is held at 5:30 p.m. the first Thursday of every month at Brookdale Fort Walton Beach, 233 Carmel Ave. Call 864-4600.
Make-and-Take classes
The Destin Library has a series of free how-to workshops for ages 18 and up that focus on practical projects and skills you might not have learned in school. Workshop will be held the last Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided. No registration. Call 837-8572 or email mfontaine@cityofdesitn.com.
Code Club
The Destin Library's Code Club for children in fifth through eighth grades will be divided into two sections, web design and game design. Meetings will be held from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Tuesdays (web design) and Fridays (game design). Registration is required to participate, and will be capped at 18 students. Register at http://www.cityofdestin.com/forms.aspx?FID=143.
Kiwanis Club of Destin
The Kiwanis Club of Destin meets every Thursday at 8 a.m. at the Destin Methodist Church Life Center on Beach Drive in Destin. The public is invited to attend the club’s weekly meetings.
Destin Rotary
The Destin Rotary meets at 7:15 a.m. every Tuesday at Rutherford’s 465. Visit www.facebook.com/pages/Rotary-Club-of-Destin/241220675890226.
Flotilla 1-4 USCG Auxiliary
Flotilla 1-4 USCG Auxiliary meets at 8 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month at Coast Guard Station Destin on Okaloosa Island. Anyone wishing to become a member is welcome to attend. Prior military duty is not required. Call 865-9130 or email www.flotilla14.info.
Bereavement Support Group
Share and learn more about the grief journey you are enduring with an Emerald Coast Hospice bereavement group at 1:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the Destin Library. Groups are free and ongoing.
Grand Boulevard Farmers’ Market
The market will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday in Grand Park in Miramar Beach between Cantina Laredo and Tommy Bahama’s. Vendors will offer locally sourced food-based items including produce, eggs, milk, butter, grass-fed beef, chicken, lamb and pork, honey, pickled vegetables and gourmet jams.
30A Farmers’ Market
This community event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays in Town Center in Rosemary Beach features fresh vegetables, fruits, eggs, honey, cheese and more. Market is held on Sundays from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Seaside Farmers Market
Get your pick of fresh produce, baked goods, dairy products, native plants and other unique offerings Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Amphitheatre behind Raw & Juicy. Enjoy special cooking demos and activities.
Destin Life Center
Recreation and fitness activities at Destin Life Center at Destin United Methodist Church, 200 Beach Drive, are from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Closed Sunday. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday visit the Soul Café for lunch. Call ahead for dine in or pick up. For information, call the DLC at 837-2021.
• Adult Open Soccer: From 7-9 p.m. Wednesdays. Fee is $2/player.
• Adult Open Volleyball: From 6-9 p.m. Tuesdays. Fee is $2/player.
• Pickleball: From 2-5 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.
• DLC Fitness Cardio/Weight Room: Nautilus equipment, three treadmills, two ellipticals and one recumbent bike. Memberships are $40/calendar quarter; $30/month; $20/week; and $10/day.
• Community Fitness Classes: Indoor cycling, Zumba, Rise and Stretch, PIYO, Cardio Dance, Forever Young (senior aerobics) and more. Costs are $40/month; $7/class; $20/month Forever Young, fitness for seniors; and $3/individual Forever Young.
Destin Community Center
All activities are at the Destin Community Center, unless noted. Call 654-5184 or email recreation@cityofdestin.com for information and to register. Persons with disabilities who require assistance are asked to notify the center 48 hours in advance.
‒ Alzheimer's/Dementia Support Group: From 3-4 p.m. first Wednesday of the month at the Destin Senior Center in Buck Destin Park, 724 Legion Drive. This support group is free to the public. It is sponsored by Emerald Coast Hospice. Materials are provided by the Alzheimer's Association. This support group can be for family members and care providers in helping to deal with Alzheimer's and Dementia. Call 654-5184 to make reservation.
‒ Capoeria: Class in the Brazilian martial art that combines the elements of dance, acrobatics and music will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m. for all ages.
‒ Chair Yoga: Classes consisting of performing traditional yoga poses from a chair for lower impact from 10-11 a.m. Thursdays beginning Oct. 12. Cost is $4/class.
‒ Destin Senior Chair Exercise 50+ years: Monday and Wednesday mornings from 10-10:45 a.m. consists of performing light exercises to help improve balance, flexibility, strength, and circulation. Free/residents.
‒ Destin Senior Membership: Join the Destin Seniors to enjoy multiple festivities including the senior lunch bunch, pot luck, casino trips, cruises, bingo, chair exercise, knitting, scrabble, and Mexican dominoes. Members must be a Destin resident.
‒ Game Room: Open to children age 10 and older from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday. Basketball/volleyball court, ping pong/foosball/air hockey/pool tables
‒ Grief Support and Education: At 3 p.m. the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month at the Destin Senior Center in Buck Destin Park, 724 Legion Drive. These sessions are facilitated by Emerald Coast Hospice's Bereavement Coordinator, Christopher Keown, and are free to the public. Anyone dealing with grief, assisting someone in their grief or curious about the experience, is welcome to join in.
‒ Pickleball: Sessions are from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Mondays. Fee is $3/non-residents or $2/residents. Racquets and balls are available, just bring gym shoes.
‒ Senior Art Lessons: The Destin Senior Center at Buck Destin Park, 724 Legion Drive, offers six-week sessions for Seniors (50 years and older). The current lessons began Oct. 6 with three weeks of pen and ink, then three weeks of acrylics. Fees are $20/non-Destin residents and $15/residents. Cost includes materials.
‒ Senior Book Club: The Destin Senior Members meet at 10 a.m. the 2nd Wednesday of the month at the Destin Library, 150 Sibert Ave.
‒ Senior Drop-In Hours: The Destin Senior Center at Buck Destin Park, 724 Legion Drive, offers senior drop-in hours from 9 a.m. to noon every Tuesday and Thursday for Seniors (50 years and older) to meet and enjoy each other's company, participate in games such as Mexican Train Dominoes, Scrabble, cards, etc.
‒ Senior Knitting: Sessions and lessons for beginners and all skill levels from 1-2:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the Destin Senior Center at Buck Destin Park, 724 Legion Drive. No registration required.
‒ Senior Walking Club: The Destin Senior Members walk around the Destin Community Center’s gymnasium from 8-9 a.m. Monday-Friday. All of the miles that you walk will be added to our “team map” as we travel from one region to the next.
‒ Table Tennis: From 9 a.m. to noon Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Paddles and balls provided. Fee is $2/resident and $3/non-resident.
‒ Zumba Gold: A low impact class using Latin music for fitness/dance classes from 11 a.m. to noon Thursdays beginning Oct. 12. Fee is $6/session
Toastmasters International
To become more effective communicators and leaders, visit one or more of the Toastmasters clubs at the following locations or visit www.toastmasters.org/Find-a-Club.
• Club 702 White Sands Toastmasters, 12-1 p.m. Thursdays at 415 Racetrack Road NE in Fort Walton Beach.
• Club 1919 Emerald Coast Toastmasters, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursdays at Education Bldg 251, Room 122 on Eglin AFB.
• Club 9478 Hurlburt Toastmasters, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays at Education Center Bldg. 221, Classroom L on Hurburt Field.
• Club 724908 Destin Toastmasters, 5:45-7:15 p.m. 1st and 3rd Tuesday each month at Walton County Utility Building.
• Club 817348 Crestview Toastmasters, 6-7 p.m. 2nd and 4th Tuesday each month at Holiday Inn Express & Suites Crestview.
• Club 851515 Lake DeFuniak Toastmasters, 12-1 p.m. 2nd and 4th Thursday each month at Northwest Florida State College, Room 103 at the Chautauqua Center.
Seniors of Destin
The Seniors of Destin meet the fourth Friday of the month for a covered dish and to celebrate all birthdays for the month. The program is sponsored by the city of Destin and Gentiva Home Health. Each month has a featured guest speaker that pertains to senior living. Call 685-5310.
Betterment Alliance
The Main Street Betterment Alliance meets at 6 p.m. Tuesdays at the American Legion, 311 Main Street. Call 837-3818.
Destin Business Builders
Destin Business Builders Networking group meets from 7:15-8:45 a.m. every Wednesday at the Destin United Methodist Life Center. Call 651-1300 ext. 13.
Food Buying Club
A small group interested in eating healthy and purchasing smart meets at 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays at 125 Scottsdale Court in Mary Esther. On the second Tuesday, the group meets at Fountain Square in downtown Fort Walton Beach for the Growing Local film series. Call 863-4040.