COMMUNITY CALENDAR April 28
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.
Yard Sale
Village Baptist Church, 101 Matthew Blvd. in Destin, will host its annual Mission Yard Sale from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 28.
Garden Club
The Destin Garden Club will have its Annual Plant Sale from 9 a.m. to noon April 28 at the Destin Library, 150 Sibert Ave. Proceeds help the Garden Club continue to maintain the beautiful library grounds. There will be a large variety of plants available for purchase. Club members who are master gardeners will be there to help with your gardening questions or problems.
• The Destin Garden Club will present Okaloosa County Master Gardener Karen Kirk-Williams’ lecture "Cottage Gardening" at 9:15 a.m. May 8 at the Destin Library.
Choctawhatchee Audubon Society
Malcolm Swan leads a bird walk April 28 at Veterans Park on Okaloosa Island. Meet at the NE corner of the Convention Center parking lot at 7:30 a.m. Call 210-343-9082 for details.
• May 3: Enjoy a presentation by Tess Miller about the E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center at 6:30 p.m. in room 302 of the Student Services Building 400 at the NWFSC Niceville campus. Learn about its beginnings, mission, and amazing programs. Meet and learn about some of the local native animals. Call 225-252-2760 or email dbaltz@LSU.edu for more information.
• May 5: Birding on Eglin Reservation in search of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and Bachman’s Sparrow will be led by Malcolm Swan. Must have an Eglin Jackson Guard Pass. Meet at the Eglin AFB Armament Museum parking lot at 7 a.m. Call 210-343-9082 for additional information.
Republican Women
The Republican Women of Okaloosa Federated will meet at 11:30 a.m. May 2 at the Wyndham Garden Hotel on Okaloosa Island. Okaloosa County Tax Collector Ben Anderson will be the speaker. Make reservations at 305-4331 or dnoechel@cox.net by April 28. Cost is $18/members and $20/guests.
Fresh Start Family Impact Center
The Fresh Start board of directors, staff, and families will celebrate the generosity of the IMPACT 100 with an official ground breaking at 5 p.m. May 2 at 9 Bobolink Street in Fort Walton Beach for the Family Impact Center and Playground. Cake and refreshments will be served. Tours of the facility will be given.
Contractors Connect
Contractors Connect will meet from 5:30-7:30 p.m. May 3 at AJ’s in Grayton Beach. Tickets for the May Meet Up are $10 and include admittance to the event, one free draft beer and light appetizers. Visit www.contractors-connect.com to purchase tickets.
Senior Brunch and Learn
The Mary Esther Public Library, in association with the Okaloosa County Library Cooperative, will host a Senior Brunch and Learn from 10 a.m. to noon May 3 and May 17. The Brunch and Learn targets seniors who are unfamiliar with newer technology and aims to give them confidence and proficiency with their new phones, tablets and other internet-capable devices. Registration is required at 243-573 and brunch will be provided.
Literary Luncheon
The Friends Guild of the Destin Library will celebrate the Destin Library’s history and Library Director Jurate Burn’s retirement at a “Literary Luncheon” at 11 a.m. May 4 at Ciao Italia’ Bistro, 985 Hwy. 98 E. in Palms Station Shopping Center. Advance tickets are $20/person which includes tax and tip. Checks made payable to the Friends Guild of the Destin Library will be accepted for ticket purchases until May 1 at the Destin Library. Call 654-5476.
The community is invited to attend. Attendees are encouraged to wear hats decorated to represent their favorite book or literary character.
Founder’s Day
The 20th Annual Founders’ Day Celebration will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 5 at the Destin Community Center. There will be an old-fashioned fish fry with all the trimmings until 12:30 p.m. Founders’ meals and drinks are complimentary. Visitors and guests will be asked for a $5 donation.
MUG
Mac Users Group will meet at 6:30 p.m. May 7 in the NWFSC Student Services Center, Room 308/309. Frank Berte will present Using Mac File Structure, Photo Editing/Photo Enhancement (PSD) and Introduction to Facebook. Attendees are encouraged to bring their Mac devices. Call 862-3327 or email jeancdutton@mac.com.
Retirement Ceremony
The Destin Library will host a retirement ceremony for Jurate Burns, longtime Destin librarian, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. May 8 in the Calhoun Room at the Destin Library.
Health Seminar
Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast Senior Spirit’s free program will be “Hearing Loss and Dementia” at 10 a.m. May 9 in the Hospital’s Resource Center, Suite 3 Conference Room. Call 877-416-1620 or 278-3600 to register.
ACT/SAT Workshops
A workshop to assist students in Okaloosa County High Schools who will take the June 2 SAT and June 9 and July 14 ACT and will be held from 9 a.m. to noon May 29, 30, June 4 and 5 in the Media Center at Fort Walton Beach High School and 2-5 p.m. April 4, 5, 11 and 12 at Niceville High School. All materials, snacks and drinks are furnished. Students need to bring calculators. Registration deadline is May 15. For information, contact Alice Hart at 615-585-2401, email Amhart1966@aol.com or contact your high school guidance department.
Yard Sale
The Destin Community Center will host a community yard sale from 8 a.m. to noon May 19 at Dewey “Buck” Destin Park, 724 Legion Drive. Anyone interested in selling their belongings can sign up for a fee of $15 for Destin residents (free for members of the Destin Senior Membership) and $20 for non-residents. This fee includes one table and two chairs on a section of the basketball court. Set-up will begin at 7:30 a.m. Parking will be at Destin Assembly of God, next door. There is a limit of one city table per reservation, but participants are welcome to bring an additional table from home. To reserve a spot or for more information, call 654-5184
Tai Chi Class
The Destin Library will offer one-hour Tai Chi classes with Barbara Rezmer, a certified Tai Chi for Health instructor, on 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 per-son. 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.
• Adult Dodge Ball: Beginning May 11, adult only dodge ball will take place from 7-9 p.m. Fridays for 17 and older. Fee is $3/non-residents and $2/residents.
• Capoeria: Class in the Brazilian martial art that combines the elements of dance, acrobatics and music will be held Thursdays at 7 p.m. for all ages.
• 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.
• Dodge Ball: Open game from 6-8 p.m. Thursdays for children 8 to 14. Fee is $3/non-residents and $2/residents. Waiver required for children.
• Game Room: Open to children age 10 and older from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays..
• Pickleball: Sessions are from 12:30-3:30. Mondays and 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays. Fee is $3/non-residents or $2/residents. Racquets and balls are available, just bring gym shoes.
• 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 the “team map” as we travel from one region to the next.
• Table Tennis: Play from 9 a.m. to noon Mondays and Fridays and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays. Paddles and balls provided. Fee is $2/resident and $3/non-resident.
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 spon-sored 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.