Photos: Northview Homecoming Parade
October 2, 2009
The Northview High School Homecoming Parade was held Friday afternoon in Bratt. Hundreds of people were in the parade, and hundreds more lined the route from Bratt Elementary to Northview.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the parade, click here.
Pictured above and below: The Northview High School’s first ever Homecoming Parade rolls through “downtown” Bratt Friday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Bratt Elementary Honors Partners In Education
October 2, 2009
Bratt Elementary School honored their Partners In Education Thursday morning with a play.
“Bratt thanks you for giving us so much”, the fourth grade students sang to the partners. “We are glad to have a friend like you; we are partners through and through.”
Bratt’s Partners in Education are Escambia River Electric Cooperative, the First Baptist Church of Bratt, Bondurant of Century and the Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department.
“The partners have always been there for us,” Bratt Principal Cheryl Pomeroy said. Partners in education provide monetary support, incentives and support to assist the school in creating a quality learning environment.
Pictured above: Bratt Elementary School’s Partners in Eduction surrounded by some of the fourth graders that presented Thursday morning’s play. Partner representatives pictured are (top row, L-R): Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department Chief Chris Brown, Bubba Hammock from Bondurant of Century, Pastor Gary Wieborg from the First Baptist Church of Bratt, and (bottom middle) Sabrina Owens from Escambia River Electric Cooperative. Pictured inset: Students perform for the partners. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Photos: Bald Eagle Spotted In Walnut Hill
October 1, 2009
A bald eagle was spotted in Walnut Hill about noon Wednesday. The eagle was in the top of a tree along Highway 97 in Walnut Hill, within about a mile of Ernest Ward Middle School — home of the EWMS Eagles. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, there were 1,280 pairs of bald eagles in Florida last nesting season. FWC has a mapping project to map eagle’s nests; there are no nests mapped by FWC in north Escambia or Santa Rosa counties. To read more about eagles in Florida, click here and here. Eagles are no longer an endangered or threatened species; however, they are protected by state and federal law.
Century Relay Teams Meet; Video Now Available From Previous Two Events
September 29, 2009
Century Relay for Life held an Early Bird Party Monday night for teams to register for the 2010 event.
For Paula Jernigan, last year’s event chair, the day also marked a significant day in her life — September 28 was the date she was told she only had one or two years to live from her cancer. That was nine years ago Monday.
“I’m still here,” she said, “because of research.”
“All the money in the world will not protect you from cancer,” Event Chair Susan Diamond said. “Research is our hope….every dime we raise, every step we take goes toward that goal of research.”
A video produced by NorthEscambia.com with pictures from the past two years of Century Relay was debuted at the meeting. Watch the video at the bottom of this page. Copies of the video are available for purchase on DVD for $20, with all proceeds going toward Relay for Life. Email news@northescambia.com to order.
Persons interested in forming a team for the Century Relay can do so at the next team event at 7 p.m. on October 26 at the Century Ag Building on West Highway 4. Teams can also register online at CenturyRelay.com.
Pictured above: Century Relay Chair Susan Diamond (standing) explains this year’s Relay to team members Monday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Every Game Is A Tie; Everyone Wins: Welcome To The Miracle League
September 29, 2009
Every game ends in a tie. Every player hits; every player scores. There are no strikeouts, no errors. Everybody wins.
Welcome to the Miracle League.
It’s a baseball league for disabled and special needs persons. With players from ages 3 to 63, there are 14 teams that play on the two fields at the Mitchell Homes Miracle League Park on Nine Mile Road. The fall season started Saturday, and will run ever Saturday until November 7.
“Abigail rounds second! She looks good this year, all decked out and playing some ball,” announcer Crystal Martinez says during an afternoon game at the Miracle League. “Loooook at her go! She’s headed home! She scores! Yeah Abi!”
That’s just the way a Miracle League game goes — always.
The players are in wheelchairs and walkers. Some handicaps are mental, some are physical.
Joshua heads toward the batter’s box in his walker to take a swing at the ball with his “buddy”. Each player has a “buddy” assigned to them to help them hitch, catch, throw or run the field.
“Go Joshua!” Martinez announces. “Good job!”
In the end, the game between the Orioles and the Twins was tied, just as every game has ended in a tie for the past nine seasons. The stats for each of the 150 players will be the same at the end of the season — perfect.
“It’s a wonderful thing for these kids,” Martinez told NorthEscambia.com after the game. “It’s about them getting to play a sport that otherwise they could not play…it’s about the smiles. I love to say that they are all stars when I am announcing.”
“I think it is a great thing,” said Stephen Gruenwald of Pensacola. His son James, 5, plays Miracle League ball from his wheelchair. “He enjoys it very, very much. And he loves the people; the volunteers are one of the best things.”
Players and volunteers come from not just Pensacola, but Mobile, Crestview, Brewton and points in between. Everybody is a volunteer that participates with the Miracle League. The are paid only in smiles.
“It’s a beautiful thing. Everybody here does it for one reason” volunteer Larry Powell said, placing his hand over his heart. “It’s here, in your heart, for these kids.”
“We have a guy that was a Marine for 32 years,” Powell said. “He will sit on that field with the smallest child and help them. It really gets to you.”
Each of the two Pensacola Miracle League fields is made up of 180,000 pounds of recycled tires formed into tiles painted to match a regular field. It provides a softer landing spot for a hard fall, while still providing a good bounce for the hollow core ball that is also designed to lesson injury potential. There are two seasons at the park, spring and fall. The rubber surface gets too hot to play in the summer.
The Miracle League needs more volunteers to serve as buddies, work the concession booth, pickup trash and many more tasks around their area of the Nine Mile Road ballpark.
The public is always welcome and encouraged to cheer on the players.
“It’s a special place here,” Powell said. “Everyone should watch one of these games. It will touch you.”
For more information on Miracle League, or to volunteer, visit www.miracleleaguepensacola.org.
Pictured top: Abigail gets a high five after a base hit during a Miracle League game in Pensacola. Pictured top inset: James takes a swing: Pictured bottom inset: Headed for home. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Church Honors Local Heroes
September 28, 2009
The McDavid Volunteer Fire Department was honored Sunday for over 25 years of service to McDavid and surrounding communities.
Most of the department’s 18 members were on hand Sunday morning at Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church in Bogia as the church devoted much of their morning worship service to recognizing “Station 9″. The event was Ray’s Chapel’s second annual event honoring the local volunteers. Children in the church presented each volunteer with a token of appreciation.
Prior to the formation of the McDavid VFD, calls in the McDavid area were answered by the Century Volunteer Fire Department.
“It’s a very comforting feeling when that first responder shows up,” Mark Digmon, Ray’s Chapel member, said. He pointed a few similarities between churches and fire departments.
“Both of us should be here to serve the community,” he said. “Both us of are here in a time of need.”
The McDavid Station of Escambia Fire Rescue answered 185 calls in the past year, the lowest number of runs among the county’s 15 volunteer stations. Most were medical and public assistance calls. There were no structure fire calls in the McDavid district during the last year, but the department did assist Century, Walnut Hill and Molino with several structure fire calls.
“We like that,” Eric Gilmore, McDavid chief, said of the department’s low call volume. While McDavid ran just 185 calls and other stations in the county, such as Ensley and Ferry Pass, ran over 1,500 each, the McDavid volunteers are just as prepared as any in the county.
In addition, Gilmore said the department has constructed several training areas behind their station where volunteers from Century, Walnut Hill and Molino meet for the four departments to train together.
“We are proud to serve the community,” the McDavid chief said.
“Why do some people run into danger instead of running away from it?” Ray’s Chapel Pastor Nathan Brown began his Sunday morning sermon.
“Sometimes risk is right…that is why we appreciate you guys today,” he told the McDavid volunteers.
The McDavid Volunteer Fire Department was incorporated in 1982 with a 1962 firetruck on loan from the Florida Division of Forestry. They purchased a 1948 Ford firetruck in 1983. The station was constructed on land purchased from what was then St. Regis Paper Company in 1984. Many more modern trucks and pieces of equipment were purchased over the years.
The department has 13 certified firefighters and two EMT’s. Members of the department include: Eric Gilmore, Elton Gilmore, Kenny Malone, Phyllis Malone, Ben Gilmore, Chris Kinley, Michelle Kinley, Larry Kinley, Matt Carter, Matt Gilmore, William Sheffield, Wayne Godwin, Marvin Lucas, Morgan Goetter, Eddie Gunter, Chris Hawkins, Dorothy Gunter, Alec Estes and Adam Estes.
Pictured top and bottom: Members of the McDavid Station of Escambia Fire Rescue were honored Sunday morning by Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church. Pictured top inset: A child with a flag as Assistant Chief Elton Gilmore listens to Sunday morning’s service. Pictured bottom inset: Chief Eric Gilmore. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Educator’s Group Names North Escambia Students Of The Month
September 28, 2009
The Escambia Association for Administrators in Education have selected their Students of the Month for September.
Students of the Month from North Escambia schools are:
- Bratt Elementary: Franki J. Daw, first grade; Logan D. Calloway, fourth grade.
- Jim Allen Elementary: McKenna L. Smith, fifth grade; Timothy J. Dease, fifth grade.
- Molino Park Elementary: Courtney N. Grim, fifth grade; Ashley G. Sticken, fifth grad
- Northview High School: Georgia A. Goetter, ninth grade; Dustin A. Boutwell, 12th grade.
Editor’s note: The Escambia Association for Administrators in Education did not name Students of the Month from Ernest Ward Middle, Byrneville Elementary or Tate High School. The names of the students are submitted to the educator’s group by the individual schools.
Pictured Northview High School named Georgia Goetter (left) and Dusty Boutwell as Students of the Month for September. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Next Weekend’s Jay Peanut Festival To Draw Thousands, Start Tour
September 27, 2009
The 20th Annual Jay Peanut Festival next weekend will kick-off the sixth annual Beaches to Woodlands Tour of Santa Rosa County into high gear. The month-long self-guided driving tour of Santa Rosa County features more than two dozen events. Geared toward locals and tourists alike, the tour has become an annual Gulf Coast staple.
“Once Fall season starts settling in people get motivated to get out and about,” said Karen Harrell, tour coordinator. “This is a showcase series of events for Santa Rosa County. These events are family-friendly and inexpensive, back-to-basic type of activities.” Along with great activities, Harrell said October is a great time for a weekend vacation with water temperatures still warm enough to swim and area lodging rates for out-of-towners down up to 40 percent from summer’s high season.
The Jay Peanut Festival draws upwards to 70,000 people to the 15-acre Gabbert Farm each year who have a chance to sample all types of peanuts -– boiled, green, fried, candied and more.
Admission is free and all weekend long there will be arts, crafts, antique, new items, games, rides, rock climbing wall, pony and horse rides, wagon rides, train rides, buckboard rides, anvil shoot, and a grist mill. The farm’s popular museum is also open for tours.
While the Jay Peanut Festival is being staged in the north end of Santa Rosa County, the new Navarre Beach Marine Science Station will play host to the sixth annual Coastal Encounters from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at October 3 at the Navarre Beach County Park.
The newest asset to the area, the Navarre Beach Marine Science Station also celebrates its Grand Opening. Budding marine scientists can learn about sharks, water safety, disaster preparedness and other local environmental issues will be included. And there will be opportunities to try kayaking and fishing. Arts and craft activities will include making sea turtle maracas; making a shark tooth necklace, fish painting, sand casting and more. One of the event’s most popular features is the touch tank, which allows kids and adults to handle creatures that are best left alone in the wild.
A new event is the Sweet Season Farms Corn Maze which is open weekends and daylight hours only in Milton through November 3. The maze features a Blue Angels-theme design. Owners Trent and Sharon Mathews and their children, Morgan and Lucas, have worked as a family to create a full day of fun in Milton that includes not only the maze but hayrides, a barrel train, a farm-themed playground, acorn cannon and a corn crib “sandbox.”
Another weekend highlight is the Riverwalk Run 5k sponsored by the City of Milton. The run winds through historic Bagdad, Downtown Milton and the beautiful Riverbank. The race features a rare 4 p.m. start time which gives people a chance to sleep in, if they choose.
Ongoing throughout the month are tours of the Jay Historical Museum and the Dragonfly Gallery’s “Sand to Sawdust” exhibit. An, Fall is always a popular time at Adventures Unlimited, popular destination for day and overnight visitors who enjoy canoeing, camping, hiking – and of course, roasting s’mores.
For event details visit www.thebeachestowoodlandstour.com or 800-480-SAND or (850) 939-8666.
Pictured above: Large crowds attended the annual Jay Peanut Festival last year. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Ready, Set, Play: Playground Installed At New Bratt Park
September 24, 2009
The playground is now complete at the under construction Bratt Community Park on West Highway 4.
The playground features a large play area, a toddler swing and regular children’s swings. It also has adult size benches on the perimeter.
Editor’s note: While the playground is complete, the surrounding park is not. Walkways and parking areas are still under construction, and, with recent rains, are very muddy.
County employees are currently working to install the 8-foot wide, eight-tenths of a mile walking track around the perimeter of the 13-acre park.
The park will also include two softball fields, a full basketball court and exercise and rest stations positioned along the track. The softball fields will not be lit for night play; in fact, the park’s hours will follow that of other county parks — sunrise to sunset.
The park is being funded with $200,000 in LOST (local option sales tax) monies set aside for the park’s construction.
Pictured above: The playground at the new Bratt Community Park on West Highway 4 near the First Baptist Church of Bratt. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Hundreds Of Students Join In Prayer At See You At The Pole Rallies
September 23, 2009
(Updated) Hundreds of North Escambia students gathered to pray at their schools Wednesday morning as part of the annual See You At The Pole rally.
“I pray that we take cause in God and stand up, even when nobody else does,” Rebekah Miles, an eighth grade student at Ernest Ward Middle School prayed as she stood around the flagpole with her peers.
From Ernest Ward to Northview High School to Molino Park Elementary, hundreds did the same thing Wednesday morning — bowing their heads in prayer for fellow students, their schools, their countries. Students often prayed or encouraged others to take a stand for their Lord in light of recent court rulings restricting prayer in neighboring Santa Rosa County.
“Engage: Go and pray . . ” from 2 Kings 22:13a was the theme verse for the non-denominational See You at the Pole event at thousands of schools across the nation Wednesday.
“It is our job as Christians to engage and get God back in schools,” Northview High School junior Sarah Killam said shortly before leading scores of Northview students in the song “How Great Is Our God”.
A community-wide See You At the Pole Rally was held Wednesday night at the Flomaton High School Auditorium.
For a photo gallery from Northview High, Ernest Ward Middle and Molino Park Elementary click here.
See You at the Pole is a student-initiated, student organized, and student-led event scheduled annually on the fourth Wednesday in September. This is the 20th year for the event that started in a Ft. Worth, Texas, suburb.
Pictured top: Eighth grade student Rebekah Miles leads students in prayer Wednesday morning at Ernest Ward Middle School. Pictured inset: Students pray at Molino Park Elementary. Pictured below: See You At The Pole at Northview. Pictured bottom: See You At the Pole at Ernest Ward. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Molino Park photos courtesy Candy McGahan.
