Bratt Church Joins FBC Cantonment In Buckets Of Hope Program
February 24, 2010
A Bratt church has joined the Buckets of Hope Program — an earthquake relief effort that is providing hope to the families of Haiti on 5-gallon bucket of food at a time.
The First Baptist Church of Bratt serving as a collection point for the north end of Escambia County, according to FBC Bratt Student Pastor Tim Hawsey. In the Cantonment and central portions of Escambia County, the buckets are still be collected by the First Baptist Church of Cantonment.
The deadline to drop off the filled buckets at the First Baptist Church of Bratt is Sunday, March 14. More information is available from through the student ministry of the church.
The deadline to drop off the filled buckets at the First Baptist Church of Cantonment is Monday, March 15.
More information on the program is in the February 2 NorthEscambia.com article reprinted below. below.
A Cantonment church is spearheading a countywide project that will provide hope to the families of Haiti, one white 5-gallon bucket of food at a time.
It’s called “Buckets of Hope”, a program of the Florida Baptist Convention’s Florida Disaster Relief program. The concept is simple — fill a clean 5-gallon bucket with beans, rice, sugar, flour, cooking oil and other essentials. It’s enough to feed a family of four for about a week, plus they have the bucket to reuse to haul water, store food items or even move rubble in the earthquake stricken land.
For less than $30, the bucket and food items can be purchased, according to Drayton Smith, associate pastor at the First Baptist Church of Cantonment.
“This is something anyone can do and know they are helping a family in Haiti,” Smith said. He hopes that other churches, schools, business and community groups will become involved in the bucket program.
You don’t have to be a Christian to be involved in this,” said Ronnie Gilmore, a First Baptist Church member. “You just have to have a caring heart.”
Florida Baptists are committed to helping Haiti in both the short and long term, Smith said, with help provided in over 800 locations across the country.
As Region 1 chaplain coordinator for Florida Disaster Relief, Smith learned of the program at a training session recently in Orlando. When he learned of the Buckets of Hope program, he knew he was ready to become involved.
“The Bible tells us to do that and help others,” he said. “We have a passion for the world, and we love people. We just want to share the love.”
The filled Buckets of Hope must be returned to the First Baptist Church of Cantonment by March 15. They are also being collected at Gilmore Services at 31 East Fairfield Drive in Pensacola.
Smith said financial donations, or donations of any of the bucket items, can also be given in lieu of a full bucket. He said 100 percent of material and financial donations go straight to Haiti; none of the money is use for administration or other fees. Florida Disaster Relief does ask that persons donating buckets also donate $10, if possible, to offset the cost of shipping the bucket to Haiti.
Every bucket must be exactly alike with a specific list of items inside. Detailed instructions must be followed exactly to ensure that every bucket quickly passes through customs and into the hands of the Haitian people.
For a complete list of food items and instructions on how to pack the bucket, click here (pdf).
Pictured top: First Baptist Church of Cantonment Associate Pastor Drayton Smith explains the Buckets of Hope program. Pictured inset: Church members Barbara Reynolds explains how to pack a Bucket of Hope. Pictured below: The bucket and food items can be purchased for less than $30. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Students Compete In Bandmasters District Event
February 23, 2010
Several Ernest Ward Middle School students participated in the Florida Bandmasters Association District Solo and Ensemble held this past weekend at Gulf Breeze High School.
EWMS students that placed and their solo and or ensemble are:
- Flute Solo – Annie Bobo, rated Excellent
- Trumpet Solo – Taylor Brook, rated Superior
- Clarinet Solo – Julie Hester, rated Excellent
- Trombone Solo – Kent Smith, rated Good
- Flute Duet – Annie Bobo and Jerah Parker, rated Good
- Trumpet Trio – Taylor Brook, Will Owen and Josh Vihnanek, rated Excellent
Pictured top: (L-R): Julie Hester, Jerah Parker, Annie Bobo and Kent Smith. Pictured below: (L-R) Josh Vihnanek, Taylor Brook and Will Owen. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview, Ransom Students Winners In Black History Essay Contest
February 22, 2010
Three North Escambia students were among the winners in Black History Month essay contest sponsored by Cox Communications.
Jordyn Dunsford and Brandi Boggan from Northview High School and Breanna Fowler from Ransom Middle School were named winners.
The students will be featured during the month of February on Cox Channel 2 in public service announcements about the African American they chose to write about in their essay.
As part of the celebration of Black History Month, Cox offered students the opportunity to enter two contests, an art contest that celebrates African American heritage, and “Making A Difference: A Tribute to An African American in History” essay contest.
Elementary, middle and high school students throughout Escambia County submitted original art entries which were judged by area artists and educators.
The Making A Difference essay contest was offered to kindergarten through 12th grade students in Escambia County whose works were critiqued in their respective schools with the top four being submitted for final judging.
Study: Century, Jay And Cantonment Unhealthy; Walnut Hill, McDavid, Molino Much Healthier
February 21, 2010
An environmental health study shows that residing in the Century, Jay or Cantonment zip codes may be unhealthy, while the McDavid/Walnut Hill and Molino zip codes are among the healthiest places to live in a two county area.
The results were released in a recent University of West Florida study focusing on Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
The study shows that residents in the Century and Jay zip codes have the among the highest disease risk in the two-county region, attributed almost entirely to formaldehyde and toluene emission from the petroleum and natural gas extraction operations in the north Santa Rosa County area. For the purposes of the study, the Century and Jay zip codes were combined into one geographic region due to their relatively small populations. The location attributed most to the risk factor attributed almost entirely to formaldehyde emissions from a natural gas compressor station in northern Santa Rosa County.
The risks associated with living in the Cantonment zip code were related to the pulp and paper manufacturing operation, mostly attributed to higher levels of methanol, acetaldehyde, benzene and xylene, which are used as chemical solvents in the pulping operation. The area encompassed by the Cantonment zip had the worst mortality rate due to birth defects.
The McDavid/Walnut Hill and the Molino zip code areas had the lowest rates of hospital admission in the two county area due to respiratory problems. The zip codes also had among the lowest overall health and cancer risks.
Primarily, the study evaluated relationships between the health outcomes and the proximity of the zip codes to air emission sites.
During the past several days, NorthEscambia.com has taken an in-depth look at the health of North Escambia and our immediate neighbors in the series “Our Local Health: North Escambia Area”. For previous articles, click the links below:
- Escambia Alabama And Florida Unhealthy Places To Live; Santa Rosa Much Better
- Our Local Health: Escambia, FL
- Our Local Health: Santa Rosa, FL
- Our Local Health: Escambia, AL
The darker reds and orange colors show the zip codes with the greatest burden of disease in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
Let The Good Times Roll: Seniors Celebrate Mardi Gras
February 21, 2010
The residents at Century Care Center held their own Mardi Gras parade and party this week.
Katie Clark was named Mardi Gras queen, and George Locket was named king.
For photos from the event, click here.
Pictured top: Last year’s Century Care Center Mardi Gras Queen Katie Clark (standing) made it clear that she was passing on her reign, but not her crown. Sitting in 2010’s queen, Judy Macks. Submitted photo for NorthEcambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Middle Holds Valentine’s Dance, Names Court
February 20, 2010
Ernest Ward Middle School held its annual Valentine’s Dance Friday night, naming a queen and her court based upon student votes.
Eighth grader Lily Townson was named queen, and Brannon Freeman was named king. From the seventh grade, Kamryn Brock was named maiden, and Tristan Portwood was named knight. Sixth grade queen was Jalyn Bodiford and sixth grade knight was Gavin Grant.
The dance was held after Valentine’s Day due to the school’s cheerleaders and drama club attending out of town competitions last weekend.
Pictured above: (L-R) Sixth Grade Knight Gavin Grant, Sixth Grade Maiden Jalyn Bodiford, King Brannon Freeman, Queen Lily Townson, Seventh Grade Knight Tristan Portwood and Seventh Grade Maiden Kamryn Brock. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Alger-Sullivan Society Presents History Book To Northview Library
February 18, 2010
Wednesday, members of the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society presented a copy of their new book “A Pictorial History Volume II” and accompanying CD to the Northview High School Library.
The book and CD contain historical pictures and information concerning Century and northeastern Escambia County, Florida; Flomaton, Alabama; Jay and northern Santa Rose County, Florida; and surrounding areas. The book was compiled by Jerry Fischer and Jerry Simmons.
Edsel Smith, former principal of Century High School, and Don Sales visited Northview High School on behalf of the historical society to present the book and CD.
“Northview High School is very appreciative of this ‘treasure-trove’ history book and CD donation to our library,” said Principal Gayle Weaver.
The book is available from Alger-Sullivan Historical Society members and at the Leach House Museum at 610 4th Street in the Century Historical District from 9 until 1 Monday-Friday. The book can also be ordered by mail. Send a check for $30.00 plus $5.00 postage and packaging (padded envelope) to the ASHS, P.O. Box 1002, Century 32535.
For more information, contact Jerry Simmons at (251) 765-2629 or Jerry Fischer at (850) 256-3980.
Pictured above: Current Northview High faculty and Century High School graduates (L-R) Joyce Gunn (1973), Bobby Simpson (1970) and Mary Jo Smith (1966) look through A Pictorial History Volume II in the Northview Library. Pictured below: Century’s drugstore and the Tuberville Hospital in the late 1930’s — just one of about two thousand photographs in the book. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
103-Year Old North Escambia Woman Honored
February 18, 2010
North Escambia’s 103-year old Elmira Gandy Crapps was honored by the Escambia County Commission Thursday night.
Born in Butler County, Alabama, in 1907 to John Oxford and Victoria Black Gandy and married to William Haynes Crapps, she has been a member of Poplar Dell Baptist Church for over 75 years.
For 45 years, she and her husband operated a successful trucking business, Gulf & Southern Transport, in Century, providing hauling services for timber, lumber and equipment.
“Bonds, savings accounts and CD’s are the best and safest places to invest money, and a person should invest at least 20 percent of their annual income with an additional 10 percent going to charity and tithing,” was the advice the Gandyville resident gave as a county proclamation was being prepared.
“She is the third descendant in her family to live past the age of 100 and creates a link to our history,” the county commission’s proclamation states. “She lauds the spirit, inspiration, and endurance represented by one of our oldest residents and is a valued member of our community.”
Crapps was recently recognized by the Town of Century with a day in honor. Florida Governor Charlie Crist offered his congratulations, as did Congressman Jeff Miller.
NorthEscambia.com featured Crapps in a January 30 article. Click here for the story, and to learn more about Crapps’ secret for a long life.
Ernest Ward Students Take Part In World’s Largest Middle School Drama Competition
February 17, 2010
Seven Ernest Ward Middle School drama students took part in the world’s largest middle school drama competition this past weekend.
Samantha Barrow, Shalmali Bhadkamkar, Kamryn Brock, Morgan Packer, Rachel Presley, Chelsea Turner, and Lauryn Walker competed in the Florida State Junior Thespian Festival in Fort Lauderdale, an event that draws over 2,000 middle school students.
“Our drama girls competed against some really strong performers and in front of judges, many of whom were professionals in the fine arts field. The judges were tough, but the Ernest Ward students held their own,” said Katie Ward, EWMS drama team sponsor.
Presley, Barrow and Bhadkamkar all received “Excellent” ratings. Presley placed for her monologue “Cinderelly from the Valley”, while Barrow and and Bhadkamkar placed in their duet scene, “Common Scents”.
“We are very proud of all the hard work each student put in to even make it to state. Considering this was our school’s first time ever attending this competition, they represented our school well,” Ward said.
Pictured above: (L-R) Chelsea Turner, Lauryn Walker, Samantha Barrow, Rachel Presley, Shalmali Bhadkamkar, Kamryn Brock and Morgan Packer
Escambia Looks To Expand Career Academies To Middle Schools
February 16, 2010
The Escambia County School District is looking at expanding its high school career academy model to the middle school level throughout the county.
Middle school career academies are small, personalized learning communities within a school in which select students and teachers participate during a two or three-year span. Students enter the academy with parental knowledge and support. A career academy involves teachers from different subjects working together as an interdisciplinary team.
Staff teams work together to implement the key features of the model and to provide students with exposure to the career field. Students are grouped together for several periods every day with a core group of teachers. This model promotes a family-like atmosphere and results in close student-teacher ties, according to the district.
Dozens of career academies already exist in Escambia County’s high schools, such as the Building Trades and Construction Design Academy at Northview, the Early Childhood Education Academy at Tate, Web Design Services Academy at Washington and the Legal Services Academy at West Florida High. An Agriscience Technology Academy is under development for Northview.
Workman and Wooham are the only middle schools in the county with career academies, health occupations, agriscience and pre-engineering academies.
The curriculum and instruction within an academy will meet or exceed state and district standards, while differing from a regular secondary school by focusing learning around a theme. Career academies often partner with colleges or employers, bringing resources from outside of the school to improve student motivation and achievement.
At today’s school board meeting, the board is expected to approved a set of standards and guidelines that will allow for the development of career academies at other middle school in the county, including Ernest Ward.