Health And Hope Clinics Seek Donations From ‘Wish List’
February 24, 2013
The Health and Hope Clinics in Pensacola and Century provides well over $1.5 million worth of free medical care each year.
The clinic was first established in Pensacola back in 2003 by the Pensacola Bay Baptist Association to meet the needs of uninsured and medically underserved in Escambia County. The clinic is entirely volunteer and donor supported.
The Health and Hope Clinics are currently in need of donations on their “wish list”. Items needed are:
Household items
- Paper towels
- Paper plates
- Plastic utensils
- Trash bags, 13 or 30 gallon
- Batteries, AAA or AA
Cleaning supplies
- All purpose cleaner
- Antibacterial wipes
- Glass cleaner
- Bleach
Office supplies
- 8.5 x 11 copy paper, white
- Postage stamps
- Avery labels, 5160
- Staples
- Ink pens
- Highlighters, all colors
- Paper clips
- Scotch tape refills
- Sharpie markers, black
Medical supplies
- 1CC insulin syringes
- True Track glucose meters
- True Track meter strips
- Urine sample cups
- Blank patient charts
- Powder free latex exam gloves
- Sharps containers
- Antiseptic towelettes
- Bandaids, all sizes
Gift cards
- Grocery stores
- Fast food restaurants
Any items to be donated can be dropped off at either clinic location:
- Century, 501 East Church Street, (850) 366-4100
- Pensacola, 9999 Chemstrand Road, (850) 479-4456
Pictured top: The Health and Hope Clinic location in Century. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Weekend Gardening: Early Flowering Trees Are Ushering In Spring
February 24, 2013
Warmer temperatures have raised the spirits of gardeners in Northwest Florida. Although we know from experience that we still have a good chance of another cold snap or two, nicer weather is always a welcomed foray into spring.
Warmer weather also means that some trees and shrubs burst into bloom producing flowers that brighten otherwise drab winter landscapes. Several members of the rose family are currently in bloom in Northwest Florida and sure to grab your attention.
Flowering Quince
During Colonial times a quince tree was a rarity in the gardens of wealthy Americans, but was found in nearly every middle class garden. The fruit—always cooked—was an important source of pectin for food preservation, and a fragrant addition to jams, juices, pies, and candies. However, by the early twentieth century quince production declined as the value of apples and pears increased. Its popularity has plummeted and it is now a rarity in contemporary landscapes.
Quince has been cultivated in the Middle East for centuries, and may have even been the fruit of temptation in the story of the Garden of Eden. The ancient Biblical name for quince translates as “Golden Apple.” In ancient Mesopotamia, now Iraq, cultivation of quince predates the cultivation of apples.
This small, thorny, deciduous tree is one of the first to bloom in late winter. It is a member of the rose family and explodes with typical rose-type flowers in February each year. The single, white flowers are 1½ to 2 inches across and grow on current season growth.
The fruit is a fragrant, many-seeded pome about three inches in diameter. The fruit’s shape ranges from round to pear-like and the flesh is yellow. Several references refer to it as “hard and rather unpalatable.”
If you would rather not deal with the fruit, non-fruiting cultivars exist. Since most quince cultivars are not well-adapted to Florida because of their high chilling requirement, choose your cultivar carefully.
Apples
Another pome-type fruit that embellishes our landscapes in late winter is the apple tree. Along with the quince, it too is a member of the rose family. It is older in cultivation than the rose and is sometimes referred to as the prince of the rose family.
Relatively few cultivars of apples (Malus domestica L.) can be grown successfully in Florida.
Most apples have a high chilling requirement. Chilling requirement is defined as the number of hours less than or equal to 45 degrees F during the winter. Apple cultivars suitable for North Florida have a chilling requirement of less than 600 hours.
Only a few cultivars meet Florida’s low-chill requirement. Recommended cultivars include ‘Anna’, ‘Dorsett Golden’ and ‘TropicSweet’. ‘Anna’ and ‘Dorsett Golden’ originated in Israel and the Bahamas, respectively. ‘TropicSweet’ is a patented cultivar from the University of Florida. These cultivars each have a chilling requirement of 250 to 300 hours.
For more information on low-chill apples, review the University of Florida/IFAS online publication at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg368.
Flowering Cherry
While we may not be able to produce beautiful, delicious cherries in Northwest Florida, we can enjoy a few ornamental, flowering cherry trees.
One species that does well in Northwest Florida is Prunus campanulata or the Taiwan cherry. The Taiwan cherry grows to 20 to 25 feet and spreads nearly as wide as it matures. Single, drooping rose-type flowers appear in late winter and will last for about ten days.
For other recommendations on flowering trees to add to your landscape, contact your local Extension Office.
Theresa Friday is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County. The use of trade names, if used in this article, is solely for the purpose of providing specific information. It is not a guarantee, warranty, or endorsement of the product name(s) and does not signify that they are approved to the exclusion of others.
Theresa Friday is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County.
Ernest Ward’s ‘Got Talent’
February 23, 2013
Ernest Ward Middle School students proved they’ve “Got Talent” during a talent show Friday night.
The first place winner was Seth Killam for his guitar, harmonica and singing performance of “I Won’t Turn Back”, and second place went to Brianna Smith’s baton routine to “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”.
Additional awards were presented to Morgan Pope for selling the most tickets and Kaylin Glenn.
Pictured: Brianna Smith and Seth Killam, winners in the Ernest Ward Middle School’s “Got Talent” show Friday night. Submitted photo by Jacke Johnston, click to enlarge.
‘Golden Cow Dung Award’ Presented To Betty Coon
February 23, 2013
Ernest Ward Middle School faculty member Betty Coon received the fifth annual “Golden Cow Dung Award” from members of the Ernest Ward FFA. The award presented Friday morning featured a large piece of cow dung, painted a golden color.
(Cow dung, in case you did not know, is what you are probably thinking it is. It’s that natural byproduct that cows drop in the field. The award is 100 percent real dung spray painted a golden color. The golden piece presented Friday is actually the first award piece created four years ago.)
Coon received the award from the school’s FFA members as a “thank you” for supporting FFA. The same Golden Cow Dung Award was presented last year to history teacher Kenneth Hicks. Previous awards were presented to teacher’s assistant Lindsey Kelley, Family & Consumer Science teacher Kathy Ellis and four years ago to Principal Nancy Perry.
More than half a million members around the nation participated in National FFA Week activities at the local and state levels this week.
Pictured: Ernest Ward Middle School FFA Golden Cow Dung Award presentation to Betty Coon Friday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Middle Holds Registration, Orientation
February 22, 2013
Ernest Ward Middle School held an orientation and registration Thursday night for all students who plan to attend EWMS next school year. During the program, EWMS and staff members were available to answer questions and explain middle school programs, extracurricular activities, and middle school academies.
Ernest Ward offers three middle school academies: Culinary Arts, Graphic Arts, and Fabrication and Pre-engineering.
For more information about Ernest Ward Middle School and registration, call (850) 327-4283.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Celebrates FFA Week With Breakfast
February 21, 2013
FFA students at Ernest Ward Middle School did their part to celebrate National FFA Week with a Wednesday morning breakfast for faculty and staff.
Students cooked a breakfast of eggs, grits, biscuits, bacon, sausage and more for the EWMS faculty and staff.
Pictured: FFA students at Ernest Ward Middle School provided breakfast for the school’s faculty and staff Wednesday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Relay For Life Garage Sale Saturday
February 21, 2013
The American Cancer Society will host a “Parking Lot Garage Sale” for all local area Relay for Life teams on Saturday.
Relay teams can reserve a space for free for raising funds for the their individual teams and Relay events in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. The funds raised will go to each Relay team’s goal.
The public is invited to attend and find some great bargains, including rummage sale items, craft items and baked goods.
The garage sale will take place Saturday from 8 a.m. until noon at 5401 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 100 in Pensacola, just off Airport Boulevard. To reserve a space, contact lgaston@shhpens.org.
A similar event will be held in March.
Northview Celebrates National FFA Week
February 20, 2013
FFA members at Northview High School are celebrating National FFA Week with a variety of events. Tuesday, the FFA officers and members prepared a homestyle breakfast for teachers, staff and invited guests that support the FFA program.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Resident Celebrates 101st Birthday
February 20, 2013
Della Godwin of Century celebrated her 101st birthday on Tuesday with a party attended by family and friends at the Century Care Center.
Godwin was born in Jay back in 1912, one of 12 children born to her parents Annie and William Griffis. She has two younger surviving siblings - Jean Clark and Veda Welch. Godwin is the oldest resident at the Century Care Center.
Pictured top: Della Godwin (seated, center) of Century celebrated her 101st birthday on Tuesday with family and friends. Pictured below: Godwin celebrates at her party. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge
Ransom, Tate String Orchestras Earn Superior Ratings
February 19, 2013
Three of Escambia County School District’s string orchestras, along with 11other school groups from the Tallahassee area, participated in the Florida Orchestra Association, District 3 Music Performance Assessment (MPA) in Tallahassee.
As part of the MPA process, the orchestras performed concert music for three judges and then played a piece at sight for a fourth judge.
Ransom Middle School and Tate High School, both under the direction of Cathy McConnell, participated for the first time this year and each earned a Superior rating for their performance.
After traveling to Tallahassee and participating for the first time last year, Brown Barge Middle School, under the direction of Christina Frierdich and Jonathan Clark, was given an overall Excellent rating this year.