First Dolly Imagination Library Books Arriving In North Escambia Mailboxes
August 6, 2008
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library arrived in North Escambia back in late June, with plans to provide a free book every month for every child under five years old.
Now, just over a month later, the books are set to start arriving the mailboxes of about 300 children around Escambia County. Roughly half, about 150 of them, are in the area in and around Century, according to Diane Hutcherson, executive director of the Early Learning Coalition of Escambia County. The coalition administers the program locally.
In 1996, Dolly launched a new effort to benefit the children of her home county in east Tennessee. Dolly wanted to foster a love of reading among her county’s preschool children and their families. She wanted children to be excited about books and to feel the magic that books can create. And she wanted to insure that every child would have books, regardless of their family’s income.
She decided to mail a brand new, age appropriate book each month to every child under five in Sevier County, Tennesee. With the arrival of every child’s first book, the classic The Little Engine That Could, every child could now experience the joy of finding their very own book in their mailbox. These moments continue each month until the child turns five,and in their very last month in the program they receive Look Out Kindergarten Here I Come.
Now children under in Century and the surrounding North Escambia area can signup for the same program under the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. They will receive a new age appropriate book each month until they turn five…all at absolutely no cost. And, there are no income requirements for the program.
“Parents will not pay a dime for the program,” said Larry Kenny, special projects director for the Early Learning Coalition. “They will not be added to any kind of mailing list; their information is kept private and used only to mail the books free of charge to their homes.”
The coalition recently purchased the 12 books that would typically be sent to a two year old participating the program. “It was $225 for us to buy the books locally at retail,” Hutcherson said. “And any parent can get these books mailed to their home for their child for free.”
Century area parents were able to enroll their children in the program for the first time during a celebration the the Campfire USA Child Development Center back on June 28.
Parents can continue to enroll their children in the free program during regular business hours at Campfire USA on Industrial Boulevard, at the Century Pharmacy on Mayo Street, at New Life Baptist Church and at the Century Branch Library.
Funding for the program in the Century area is provided by the Teaspoon Foundation and Century Pharmacy.
“It’s exciting to me how well this has gone,” Jack Moran of Century pharmacy said. “This is going to go a long way toward improving school grades.”
Hutcherson said the group is looking for more funding to allow more children to receive the books. Right now, the program has been rolled out only in Century and at a few Pensacola locations due to limited funding. The cost per child, she said, is about $30 per year. For more information, contact the Early Learning Coalition of Escambia County at 595-5400.
Pictured above: Jared Bevan, 4, enjoys reading one of the books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library at Campfire USA in Century on June 28. Pictured below: Some of the books from the program. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Book Signing Held
August 2, 2008
A book signing was held Friday for the The Flomaton Centennial Scrapbook at the Escambia County Bank.
“It’s what its name implies: a scrapbook mixture of topics presented in pictures, text and old newspaper clippings,” said author Jerry Simmons.
Compiled by Simmons, the book has a history of Flomaton’s first 100 years and 346 plus pages with pictures. “But it’s not a history book,” he said. “It’s not a picture book.”
The book also contains information and pictures from South Flomaton on the Florida side. South Flomaton became Century in 1980.
“It depicts Flomaton as a tiny little settlement which grew because of the railroad. Due to the nature of its people and the people of the surrounding area it has lasted these 100 hundred years even though the importance of the railroad to its existence has diminished,” Simmons said.
The book can be purchased for $40 at the Escambia County Bank in Flomaton.
It can also be purchased through the Escambia County Historical Society with a portion of the sales price going toward the society’s scholarship fund. To order, call Simmons at (251) 765-2629 or (251)867-7332. Or, stop by the Thomas E. McMillan Museum at Jefferson Davis Community College in Brewton on Tuesdays or Thursdays from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.
PDF samples of the book may be found at http://www.escohis.org/flcent/flc_ent_preview.html
Pictured above: Members of the Centennial Book Committee at the Escambia County Bank Friday were (standing, L-R) Lunette Weaver Ptomey, Dot Weaver Ptomey, Beverly Simpson and Jerry Fisher. Seated is Jerry Simmons. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge. Pictured below: The Big “R” Drive-In located in South Flomaton (present day Century) in 1962.. It later became Garrett’s Drive-In, pictured bottom in 1970. Today, it is the Sandwich Deli in Century. Pictures from the Flomaton Centennial Scrapbook.
Community Supports Horse Rescue Group; Three Kids Help Raise Funds
July 31, 2008
A local horse rescue group’s financial situation has improved, partially thanks to three children that took it upon themselves to raise money for the group.
After an article on NorthEscambia.com and a report on a Mobile television station, donations began to arrive for Panhandle Equine Rescue, a non-profit horse rescue group located in the Molino area.
PER has received several donations from the community totaling about $3,000, including $231.31 from three Pace kids.
Hannah Richards, 11, Emily Richards, 8, and Michael Abendan, 10, of Pace learned of PER’s plight and hit a neighborhood street with a bucket and a sign that read “Help Save the Abused Horse Shelter”. Over six days for up to two and a half hours per day, the three took a stand for PER. Emily, Hannah and Michael (L-R) are pictured above with rescued horse Jasmine.
“It made me feel really, really bad about the horses,” Hannah told NorthEscambia.com. “I asked my friend, and we help up our sign to help.”
While Hannah and her sister Emily do not have a horse at their home in the Woodbine Springs area, their grandfather does have horses that they ride.
“I love horses, and I just wanted to do something to help the abused horses,” she said.
After spending three years helping horses in Escambia County, Panhandle Equine rescue turned to the community for help about two weeks ago. PER has investigated cases involving 466 horses and rescued 54 horses since 2005.
Along with their ordinary operation expenses, PER is facing huge medical bills for a horse named Raven. In less than 10 days, her medical bills have hit $1,200, and she will spending 30 days on an expensive medication.
(article continues below photos)
Raven and her colt Racer were rescued April 11 from Highway 168 near Century. The horses were reported to be running freely around the area on at least two occasions, and they were not being properly fed, according to PER. Their owner voluntarily surrendered them to PER. The photos above left shows their living conditions in January, and the photo on the right shows Raven in early December. Click the photos to enlarge (some readers may find the enlarged photos disturbing).
The following was submitted by Diane Lowery, president of PER:
Panhandle Equine Rescue is in desperate need of donations to help pay the vet bills on a rescued Arabian mare.
Raven, along with her colt, Racer, were rescued in April. Both were adopted out, but Raven was returned to us because of her health issues.
Since July 8th, her expenses have added up to almost $1,200.00. She had to be admitted into the vet clinic again for the second time Thursday night due to regular bouts of colic. She has been diagnosed with “Grade 2 Ulcers” and experiences pain on a daily basis.
She has been started on an oral paste that must be given daily. One tube costs $33.00. She must receive this medicine for 28 days.
Panhandle Equine Rescue has a total of 17 horses in foster care and very little in donations has been coming in. We’re planning some fund raisers to try to compensate for our losses, but it may be too late.
We are really frustrated at this point, because we know that our services are needed in this county. We rely solely on donations. We do not receive county or state funding, nor have we received any federal grants. In 2005, three of us were approved by a judge to do equine investigations in Escambia County and since then, we have worked 111 cases involving 466 horses. We have rescued 54 horses.
In addition, we are in great need of foster homes. We are at full capacity and cannot take in any more rescues until we have more space and can raise the funds to support them.
If anyone would like to sponsor Raven to help get her through this horrible ordeal in her life, we would appreciate it.
A monthly sponsor receives a picture and a quarterly update or you can be a one time sponsor. To read about her rescue, go to www.panhandleequinerescue.org
Donations can be sent to PER, P.O. Box 777, Cantonment, FL 32533
Atmores Visit Atmore From Across The Pond; He’s The Former Queen’s Bodyguard (Yes, THAT Queen)
July 29, 2008
North Escambia’s neighbors to the north recently had a few visitors from across the big pond. The Atmore family from England recently paid Atmore a visit on their tour of North America.
Kenneth and Ann Atmore of Bexleyheath, England, toured portions of Canada and the United States recently. She is a dental nurse. He’s a retired police officer, retired from the job of The Queen’s Police Officer. That’s right…he was the personal bodyguard for the Queen.
The Atmores hit several local restaurants, the library, city hall and more as they were treated with almost celebrity status in Atmore.
For the complete story of the Atmores visit to Atmore from the Atmore News, click here.
Faith Bible Baptist Youth Attend Camp; Walk The Purple People Bridge
July 27, 2008
The youth from Faith Bible Baptist Church in Bluff Springs recently returned from a week long youth trip.
The group of 10 youth and two leaders visited the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky. The museums presents a scientific approach to Biblical creation.
“It was good to see the things that we know from the Bible confirmed in science. Everything makes sense when you start with the Bible and go on from there,” said Faith Bible Baptist youth member Ryne Barrow, 17.
While at the museum, the youth attended a planetarium presentation and spent time in the museum’s expansive botanical garden. Afterwards, they visited Newport on Levee and cross the Purple People Bridge, the longest pedestrian bridge connecting two states. The 2,670 foot long purple-painted bridge stretches across the Ohio River from Newport, Kentucky, to Cincinnati, Ohio.
The youth attended church services at Salem Baptist Church in Cincinnati, with pastor Phillip Blackwell. Sunday evening, the Faith Bible youth helped with Salem Baptist’s Vacation Bible School country fair by working booths, giving out prizes, serving food and cleaning up.
The youth then spent five days at Camp Chautauqua in Miamisburg, Ohio, where they enjoyed morning and evening chapel services. The camp was Olympic themed using the phrase “Go for the gold” based on 2 Timothy 4:7-8 which says in part “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith”.
The speaker for Monday and Tuesday was Dr. David McCoy, pastor of People’s Baptist Church of McDonough, Georgia.Wednesday and Thursday’s chapel service were brought by Senior Pastor Jerry Siler and by Bro. Kirk Kirkland, both of Cornerstone Baptist Temple of Dayton, Ohio.
While at camp, Kolbi Cobb was nominated by her peers to a court of four out of 430 teens as camp queen. The nomination was based on participation, character and attitude. This was Kolbi’s second consecutive year to be nominated for camp queen.
Camp activities included tournament softball, basketball, volleyball and dodgeball. The senior girls won a gold medal in softball and basketball, while the senior boys won gold in dodgeball.
The teens also enjoyed Frisbee golf, miniature golf, swimming, zip line, paint ball, air hockey, bowling and many other activities. Their daily schedule began at 7:00 a.m. and sometimes continued until 2:00 a.m. with activities.
The Faith Bible Baptist Church teens attending were: Olivia Nolen, Kolbi Cobb, Jordyn Dunsford, Erin Fremin, Lauren Howell, Victoria Barrow, Jamie Gafford, Zach Barrow, Ryne Barrow and Blake Wiggins. They were accompanied by youth leaders Jeremy and Elizabeth Bondurant.
Robert Barrow in pastor of Faith Bible Baptist Church.
Submitted photos and information by Elizabeth Bondurant.
Picture above outside the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky, are Faith Bible Baptist Church members (front, L-R) Lauren Howell, Jordyn Dunsford, Jamie Gafford, Zach Barrow, Erin Fremin, Olivia Nolen, (back, L-R) Jeremy Bondurant, Ryne Barrow, Blake Wiggins, Elizabeth Bondurant, Victoria Barrow and Kolbi Cobb. Submitted photo.
A Treasure Chest Of Sorts Donated To Local Museum
July 21, 2008
It’s more than some people can bear to go to the dentist and see the assortment of tools that a modern dentist uses. But a complete dentist kit in a box donated to a Century museum makes modern dentistry seem a bit more pleasant. It’s a treasure chest of dental history.
An antique dental kit was recently donated to the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society. The complete kit in a multiple compartment wooden box contains every imaginable dental item from the early 1900’s. Every item except pain killers.
There is what appears to be billing notes on a patient handwritten on the back of a box lid. Mrs. Clarence Johnson appears to have had charges of $8.00 and $5.50 for a total bill of $13.50. It looks like she paid $1.50 toward her bill, for a balance due of $12.00. (Click the photo to the left to enlarge.)
NorthEscambia.com was there as Don Sales from the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society explored the contents of the box for the first time.
Some of the items found were:
- X-IT “A Scientific Preparation having three specific functions: Kills germs in the mouth, stimulates circulation…promotes healing”
- Many bottles of fillers and enamels
- Several suture kits (that would be needles and thread for stitches)
- Many tools, including mirrors, picks and hooks
- An item that appears to be an atomizer or sprayer
- X-IT “for mouth and gum application…promotes healing”. It is labeled as “Not-injurious”
- A free sample metal container of Wilson’s Co-Re-Ga that “holds dental plates firmly and comfortably in the mouth”
- Dr. Trey’s Synthetic Porcelain from the L.D. Caulk Co.
- Kant-Leek syringes, patented July 13, 1926. “No unsanitary leather, felt or soft metal washers”
- Aseptic Absorbent Points “for drying pulp canals”
If you are squeamish and are cringing from the whole dental tool thing, this is the paragraph you’ll want to skip. The kit contain several drill bits…all powered by a foot pump and pulley system. A true variable speed drill for the teeth. There is also a large amount of cotton packing material, and a well worn spit cup.
There are dental appointment books from 1931 and 1932 with the kit, but there are no appointments entered, just a few nondescript notes.
The items were donated to the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society by Dr. Harvey Kelly of Jay. The museum plans to research and inventory the items prior to put them on display in their Century museum.
For more photos from the antique dental kit, click here.
Pictured top: An antique dental kit donated to the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society. Pictured above, small photo: Billing notes that showed Mrs. Clarence Johnson paid $1.50 toward her $13.50 bill. Pictured below: Dental drill bits that were powered by a foot pedal and pulley system. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
North Escambia Entries Place In Atmore Fiddler’s Convention
July 20, 2008
Two North Escambia entries walked away winners in the 29th Annual Atmore Fiddlers’ Convention Saturday.
Northview High music teacher Scott Slay placed second in the guitar category and third in the mandolin division. A total of nine people competed in the guitar category and eight entered in the mandolin divison.
The Highway 99 Bluegrass Band from the Walnut Hill area placed second in both the string band and vocal band categories.
In the guitar category, Slay took first place in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2007.
In the mandolin category, Slay won third place in 2003, first place in 2005 and 2005, second place in 2006, and first place in 2007.
There were five entries in the vocal band category, three in dobro, five in banjo and 10 on the fiddle.
The event was sponsored by the Atmore Rotary Club, with proceeds going toward the club’s Academic All-Stars Program that honors high school students that maintain A and B averages during the school year. The awards are presented to students from Northview High School, Escambia County (AL) High School, Escambia Academy and Atmore Christian School. Last year, 36 Northview students were honored.
For more photos and a winner’s list from the Atmore Fiddlers’ Convention, see the Wednesday edition of the Atmore News or AtmoreNews.com.
Pictured above: Northview teacher Scott Slay on the mandolin Saturday at the Atmore Fiddlers’ Convention. Pictured below: Scott Slay on the guitar. Pictured bottom: Scott Slay poses wiht his father Tracy Slay. Photos courtesy the Atmore News, click to enlarge.
Local Horse Rescue Group Needs Help To Survive
July 19, 2008
A group based in the Molino area that has spent three years helping horses in Escambia County is now in need of a little help. Panhandle Equine Rescue has investigated cases involving 466 horses and rescued 54 horses since 2005.
And now the group is asking for your financial help to keep serving the community. Along with their ordinary operation expenses, PER is facing huge medical bills for a horse named Raven. In less than 10 days, her medical bills have hit $1,200, and she will spending 30 days on an expensive medication.
(article continues below photos)
Raven and her colt Racer were rescued April 11 from Highway 168 near Century. The horses were reported to be running freely around the area on at least two occasions, and they were not being properly fed, according to PER. Their owner voluntarily surrendered them to PER. The photos above left shows their living conditions in January, and the photo on the right shows Raven in early December. Click the photos to enlarge (some readers may find the enlarged photos disturbing).
The following was submitted by Diane Lowery, president of PER:
Panhandle Equine Rescue is in desperate need of donations to help pay the vet bills on a rescued Arabian mare.
Raven, along with her colt, Racer, were rescued in April. Both were adopted out, but Raven was returned to us because of her health issues.
Since July 8th, her expenses have added up to almost $1,200.00. She had to be admitted into the vet clinic again for the second time Thursday night due to regular bouts of colic. She has been diagnosed with “Grade 2 Ulcers” and experiences pain on a daily basis.
She has been started on an oral paste that must be given daily. One tube costs $33.00. She must receive this medicine for 28 days.
Panhandle Equine Rescue has a total of 17 horses in foster care and very little in donations has been coming in. We’re planning some fund raisers to try to compensate for our losses, but it may be too late.
We are really frustrated at this point, because we know that our services are needed in this county. We rely solely on donations. We do not receive county or state funding, nor have we received any federal grants. In 2005, three of us were approved by a judge to do equine investigations in Escambia County and since then, we have worked 111 cases involving 466 horses. We have rescued 54 horses.
In addition, we are in great need of foster homes. We are at full capacity and cannot take in any more rescues until we have more space and can raise the funds to support them.
If anyone would like to sponsor Raven to help get her through this horrible ordeal in her life, we would appreciate it.
A monthly sponsor receives a picture and a quarterly update or you can be a one time sponsor. To read about her rescue, go to www.panhandleequinerescue.org
Donations can be sent to PER, P.O. Box 777, Cantonment, FL 32533
Submitted by PER President Diane Lowery
Arrr! Pirates From The Seven Seas To The Library
July 16, 2008
Ahoy, Matey! About three dozen children of all ages enjoyed a pirate adventure Tuesday at the Century Branch Library.
From stories to a silly dress up game, everything was pirate themed as the library wrapped up its Summer Reading Series.
For more photos from the pirates at the library. click here.
Drew’s Field Comes Closer To Becoming A Reality
July 14, 2008
The dream of Drew’s Field is moving toward becoming reality. And that could not make Cyndi Marlow happier.
Two year old Drew Marlow and his dad Danny Marlow died January 28 in an accident on Highway 97. A short time later, the Northwest Escambia Little League voted to name a new t-ball field at the back of Bradberry Park “Drew’s Field” in honor of Drew’s dream to play ball.
Cyndi told NorthEscambia.com that funding for the park remains an issue, but she got some good news last week. A Cantonment contractor has agreed to take over the entire construction process — from pulling permits to erosion control studies to the actual hands-on labor to build in the park — for free.
That contractor is also talking to a major area corporation about funding for items still needed for the park like a fence and sod.
In the meantime, Cyndi has picked out the monument that will stand at Drew’s Field. It’s a little over five feet tall. The top reads “Welcome to Drew’s Field” and the bottom features a quote from Danny. “Always let your Light shine,” it says. That’s what Danny would always tell players after ballgames that he coached.
The middle of the monument features a little boy and man walking hand in hand toward the sunset with baseball caps and a bat. The back of the boy’s jersey says “Drew” and has the number “3″ and the man’s jersey says “Drew’s Dad” and has the number “3″ too.
Drew and Danny spent hours playing with a blue and orange Florida Gators bat. Dreaming of that big t-ball opening day they both just knew would come when that little boy with a big number “3” on his jersey stepped to the plate.
Danny had it all planned out, down to the jersey number. Drew was Cyndi and Danny’s “miracle baby”…he was their third attempt at in vitro conception.
“We were just so excited. But then we went to the doctor. They rate the chances of the embryo surviving on a scale of one to five. A four or below has a small chance of surviving.”
“The doctor rated the embryo as a three that was Drew. A three out of five. We knew it was all in God’s hands.”
And God blessed the Marlows with a healthy sandy blonde baby boy they named Drew.
“That’s where the jersey number ‘3’ came from. Danny always said ‘could you imagine if he was a five’,” Cyndi said. “He always wanted Drew to wear ‘3’ in his first t-ball game.”
“We were going to go play t-ball,” Cyndi said. “That’s all Drew talked about. “
Drew will never get to play on his field at Bradberry Park. But Cyndi hopes that it will be ready to dedicate on next year’s opening day. “And we are hoping to have a team in the league called ‘Drew’s Dream Team’,” she said.
Additional funding is still needed to make Drew’s Field a reality. If you would like to help build Drew’s Field, donations can be made at any Gulf Winds Federal Credit Union in Escambia or Santa Rosa counties in Florida or at the Atmore, Alabama, branch to the “Drew’s Field” account.
To read our story from April about Drew’s Field, click here.
Pictured top: Drew Marlow’s Florida Gator bat on first base at what will become Drew’s Field. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge. Pictured middle: An artist’s drawing of the memorial to be placed at Drew’s Field. Pictured bottom: Drew Marlow, submitted photo.