Driskells Celebrate 50th
August 21, 2011
Gene and Liley (Jernigan) Driskell recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with dinner and cake with family. Their family surprised them with a cruise to Mexico.
The Driskell’s were married on August 4, 1961, in Flomaton. During their life together they have enjoyed taking motorcycle trips alone and with friends. They also enjoyed having a houseboat on the Alabama river.
Gene was a meat cutter. Liley was a sewing machine operator at Vanity Fair. In 1976, they opened Driskell’s Grocery in Byrneville. They retired after 32 years of operating the store.
They are the proud parents of Lynette Brock and husband Kevin of Pace, and Allen Driskell and wife Michelle of Byrneville. They have three grandchildren, Jessica Johnson and husband Jeremy, Drake Allen Driskell, and Maddie Mae Driskell. The also have one great grandchild, Kayla Nicole Johnson.
Gene and Liley’s Parents were Allen and Lena (Emmons) Driskell and Lawrence and Nettie (Blanton) Jernigan.
Back To School: Meet The Teacher
August 20, 2011
Bratt Elementary School students had an opportunity to meet their teacher and drop off supplies Friday morning. School will begin bright and early Monday morning, August 22.
Pictured above: Students drop off supplies during the Meet the Teacher event at Bratt Elementary School Friday morning. Pictured inset: Third grader Audrey Odom met her new teacher, Lisa Albritton. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Thousands Attend Blue Angel Air Show
August 18, 2011
Thousands of people turned out for a Blue Angels practice Wednesday morning in Pensacola, including many North Escambia area residents.
As always, the Blues wowed the crowd at the Pensacola Naval Air Station with their show. Blue Angel practice shows are held on select dates at the National Naval Aviation Museum and are free to the public. Most of the Wednesday practices are followed by an autograph session in the museum.
To view remaining practices in Pensacola for this year, click here. (Editor’s note: The practice listed for Friday, August 19 has been canceled.)
The Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show will be November 11 and 12 at Pensacola NAS.
Pictured top: North Escambia area residents (front, L-R) Alli Davis, Allison Woodfin, Moriah McGahan, Hadley Woodfin (back row) Brendan Bell, Isaac McGahan, Aden Davis and Savanna Calhoun attend the Blue Angels practice air show Wednesday morning in Pensacola with a group from Highland Baptist Church in Molino. Pictured inset: Blue Angels pilots make eye contact during a maneuver at Wednesday’s air show. Pictured below: The Blue Angels perform. Pictured bottom: A team member signs autographs. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Correctional Donates School Supplies To Byrneville Elementary
August 18, 2011
The Century Correctional Institution donated a large quantity of school supplies to Byrneville Elementary School, just in time for the first week of school. Century CI holds the school supply drive each year, with employees generously donating to the children of the community. Pictured above: AWP Flores, Renae Pettis, Carrie Bryan ,Warden Comerford and Michele Edwards. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Jay Hospital Foundation Awards Scholarships
August 18, 2011
Four college-bound graduates were recently awarded $1,000 scholarships by the Jay Hospital Employee Foundation.
The scholarship recipients were:
- Jocelyn Gould, Northview High School. Jocelyn plans to attend Pensacola State College to study nursing.
- Sarah Killam, Northview High School. Sarah plans to attend the University of West Florida to study physical therapy.
- Joshua Merritt, T.R. Miller High School. Joshua plans to attend Jefferson Davis Community College to become a paramedic.
- Julia Skaggs, Jay High School. Julia plans to attend Pensacola State College to study nursing.
The foundation offers the scholarships each year to students attending high schools in the Jay Hospital service area. Applications are presented to the five-member foundation board for approval. Special consideration is given to students seeking degrees in the health care field. Grades, class rank, ACT scores and volunteer hours are considered in the selection process. Students’ names are not included on the selection roster to ensure fairness.
Employees at Jay Hospital support the foundation through payroll deduction giving. In addition to the scholarships, the foundation has used funds to assist employees in need, contribute to hurricane recovery, and to support charitable organizations such as the American Cancer Society, Make-A-Wish Foundation, American Lung Association and the Ronald McDonald House.
Molino Park PTA Welcomes Teachers, Staff Back To School
August 18, 2011
The Molino Park Elementary School PTA treated teachers to a welcome back lunch Wednesday to thank them for all that they do.
“We are so excited to be workng with the top notch teachers, faculty, staff and parents at Molino Park Elementary. Our school has a family atmosphere like no other,” said Tina Peddleton, Molino Park PTA president.
Other Molino Park PTA board members this school year are: Lindy Broome, vice president of membership; Christa Wilson, vice president of fundraising; Rene’ Jones, treasurer; Sara Jane Conti, corresponding secretary; and Gwen Abrams, recording secretary.
For photo photos of Molino Park staff members on Wednesday, click here.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Overcoming Handicaps: Molino Artist Instructs Century Care Residents
August 17, 2011
A physical handicap should not stand in the way of art — that’s what residents of the Century Care Center learned Tuesday from a Molino artist.
Shawn Rudd, 38, suffers from muscular dystrophy. He can barely left his right arm without the assistance of his left. Unable to reach up to a traditional easel, he paints with his canvas flat on a table.
“The residents can’t use the ‘I can’t do that, I’m handicapped excuse’,” Activities Director Mae Hildreth said of Rudd’s new painting class offered to Century Care Center residents each month.
Tuesday, residents learned about watercolor technique from Rudd, adding color to black and white sketches he prepared.
“If it goes as well as I believe it will, we will have a gala art show in a few months,” Hildreth said.
For more photos from Tuesday’s art classes, click here.
Pictured above and below: Century Care Century residents learn about watercolor painting Tuesday. Pictured inset: Molino artist Shawn Rudd. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Church Hands Out School Supplies To 260+ Students
August 15, 2011
Hundreds of Century area students received school supplies Friday from the Abundant Life Assembly of God. The Century church handed out the school supplies to a total of 268 students as part of an annual community outreach event.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Great Day Of Service: Churches Volunteer At Molino Park, Jim Allen
August 15, 2011
Three North Escambia churches joined together Saturday to volunteer at two elementary schools.
Aldersgate, Cottage Hill and Allen Memorial United Methodist churches took part in a “Great Day of Service” at Jim Allen and Molino Park elementary schools. Volunteers did yard and landscape work and helped in other areas around the schools to prepare for the return of students on August 22.
“They pulled weeds, mowed the front lawn, trimmed shrubbery and put new mulch in the flower beds at the front of the school,” Molino Park Elementary Principal Alice Woodward said. “These volunteers worked hard and were such a blessing to us. The transformation is remarkable. I really appreciate their passion to serve the community in such an awesome way.”
Pictured: Volunteers work around the campus of Molino Park Elementary for about four hours Saturday morning as part of a Methodist “Great Day of Service”. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Good Neighbors: Communities Celebrate With Back To School Bash (With Photo Gallery)
August 14, 2011
About 300 Cantonment, Farm Hill and Cottage Hill residents came together Saturday in an area park, sharing food, fun and learning how to make their neighborhoods better places.
“The back to school bash and neighborhood watch block party was a great success,” said Michael Steadham, one of organizers of a Back to School Bash and Neighborhood Watch Party held at the Santa Maria Plaza Park in Farm Hill.
During the event, there was lots of free food, activities for the children, a mini car show, several child safety events, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Mounted Patrol was on hand, and there were several child safety events. About 70 children participated in a child identification program offered by the Masonic Lodge.
The event was sponsored by the Cottage Hill, Farm Hill and Village neighborhood watch programs.
Pictured: The Back to School Bash and Neighborhood Watch Party Saturday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.