Help The Hungry: Annual Peanut Butter Challenge Underway
October 14, 2020
The annual Peanut Butter Challenge is underway, coordinated by Escambia County Extension, to collect jars of peanut butter to be given to area food pantries this December.
Through November 25, you can donate unopened jars of peanut butter at several locations throughout Escambia County. Drop off boxes can be found at:
- UUF/IFAS Extension – 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment
- Escambia County Farm Bureau – 153 Highway 97, Molino
- Escambia County Public Safety – 6575 N. W St., Pensacola
- Gilmore Services – 21 E. Fairfield Drive, Pensacola
- Holy Spirit Church – 10650 Gulf Beach Highway, Pensacola
- Perdido Bay United Methodist Church – 13360 Innerarity Point Road, Pensacola
Ransom Middle School Names Students Of The Month
October 12, 2020
Ransom Middle School has named Students of the Month for October. They are Alyssa Stefanko (pictured left) and Daniel Tourney. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
IMPACT 100 Awards Nearly $1.2 Million To 11 Community Groups
October 12, 2020
IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area, a women’s philanthropic organization, awarded nearly $1.2 million to 11 grant recipients announced on Sunday.
The nonprofit finalists will each receive a grant of $106,000 from IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area. They are:
ARTS & CULTURE
- Pensacola Little Theatre, Inc. - Project: A Stage for all Stages: Restoring the Little Theatre’s Big Rigging
- Pensacola Opera, Inc. - Project: IMPACT Opera: In Perfect Harmony
EDUCATION
- Every Child a Reader in Escambia, Inc. dba ECARE - Project: Get Our Children and Families Ready for Kindergarten
- Gulf Coast Kid’s House, Inc. - Project: Protecting Our Children During a Time of Uncertainty
ENVIRONMENT, RECREATION & PRESERVATION
- Keep Santa Rosa Beautiful, Inc. dba Panhandle Butterfly House & Nature Center -Project: Panhandle Butterfly House and Nature Center
- Veterans Memorial Park Foundation of Pensacola, Inc. - Project: Accommodating Veterans Memorial Park Events
FAMILY
- AMR at Pensacola, Inc. - Project: The Phoenix Project – Tiny Home Communities
- Feeding the Gulf Coast, Inc. - Project: Feeding the Florida Panhandle
- FoodRaising Friends, Inc. Project: FoodRaising Friends Foundational Food for Families
HEALTH & WELLNESS
- Ecomfort, Inc. - Project: Food as a Tool: Impacting lives in the Community Mentally, Physically and Spiritually
- Pensacola United Methodist Community Ministries, Inc. dba Bright Bridge Ministries - Project: Updated Kitchen, Uplifted Lives
“This year has been like none other, in terms of community need from the impact of COVID-19 and Hurricane Sally,” said Brigette Brooks, president of IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area. “Thanks to support from our all-volunteer board including our technology team, the majority of our grant review processes this year were handled virtually to ensure our members stayed healthy and safe, and to ensure social distancing, while still serving our community that we love.”
With 1,166 members this year, IMPACT 100 was able to award $106,000 each to1 1 nonprofit organizations in our community for a total impact of $1,166,000. In the 17 years since its inception, IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area has awarded 120 grants to 84 nonprofits totaling $12,830,000.
Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Fall Tradition: Pumpkins Have Arrived At Cantonment Pumpkin Patch
October 12, 2020
It’s a sure sign of fall in Cantonment.
The pumpkins have arrived at the Allen Memorial United Methodist Church Pumpkin Patch. The Molino Volunteer Fire Department, along with junior fighters, and volunteers from the Northview High School NJROTC help unload the pumpkin truck on Sunday.
Pumpkins of all shapes and sizes are available under the big tent on Highway 29 near Neal Road from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 12-6 on Sundays.
The Allen Memorial United Methodist Men have sponsored the Pumpkin Patch since 1995.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida’s Silver Alert Missing Senior Program Celebrates 12 Years, And Numerous Success Stories
October 11, 2020
Last week marked the 12th anniversary of Florida’s Silver Alert program. Since the program’s inception in 2008, about 2,400 Silver Alerts have been issued, and Florida’s Silver Alert program has been directly responsible for 248 recoveries of missing senior citizens.
Silver Alerts are activated statewide at the request of local law enforcement after a senior with Alzheimer’s or related dementia goes missing in a car. Once a Silver Alert is issued, information about the missing senior is communicated to the public through local media outlets, lottery terminals and highway message signs.
One of those Silver Alert success stories was four years ago this month when an 83-year old Beulah woman found near Century a week after she was reported missing.
She was located off Highway 29 on North Canoe Road, a non-maintained dirt road. Her car was stuck deep in the sand of the roadway, where she had apparently spent most of the week. She was located by two Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies who responded to a report of a suspicious person.
She had apparently been living out of her car, which had a dead battery. She had food…an uneaten loaf of cinnamon bread was on the passenger seat after her rescue. But her major problem was a lack of liquid. She was transported to an area hospital suffering from dehydration.
Pictured: A Silver Alert missing senior was found in her stuck car on North Canoe Road. Pictured inset and immediately below: There was food in the Hyundai Sonata. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
The Honeybee Highway: Molino Park Student Places Second In National Poetry Contest
October 1, 2020
A Molino Park Elementary School student has won second place in a nationwide poetry contest.
Jordyn Gibbs’ poem “The Honeybee Highway” took second place in the grade 3-5 division of an annual poetry contest for students across America hosted by The America Library of Poetry.
Her poem is reprinted below.
he Honeybee Highway
by Jordyn Gibbs
In my backyard there stands a hive,
a big white box where honey bees thrive.
Busy bees toiling all day long
striving to bring the nectar home.
They pollinate fields, the flowers, and crops
Then carry the pollen back into the box.
The queen bee is happy and dances a jig
Soon honey will be flowing and the yield will be big
Tall jars of honey cut fresh from the combs
Waiting to be devoured by the people at home
Sweet, sweet honey to spread thick on a bun
Thank you, my bees, for the work you have done.
Council On Aging Resumes Meals On Wheels, Feeding Sites
September 25, 2020
The Council on Aging of West Florida has resume its Meals on Wheels program, and feeding sites have resume operation.
Meals are served between 11 and 11:30 a.m. Monday through Friday, and seniors are asked to call (850) 432-1475 by noon the day before.
Feeding sites are:
- Cantonment Senior Center, 132 Mintz Lane
- Century Senior Center, 6025 Industrial Boulevard
- Beulah Senior Center, 7425 Woodside Rd.
- Bayview Senior Center, 2000 E Lloyd St.
- Cobb Center, 601 E Mallory St.
- Westwood Homes, 4400 Westover Ave.
- Westminster Retirement Village, Building #1: 1700 N. “L” Street; Building #2: 1951 W. Blount Street
Pensacola Chamber, Volunteers Provide Hot Meals At Carver Park In Cantonment
September 24, 2020
The Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce and Mercy Chefs provided free hot meals and ice Wednesday at Carver Park in Cantonment. They were assisted by volunteers from the 479 Flying Training Group from NAS Pensacola. Teamsters 991 from Mobile, Called2Rescue and Michelle Salzman. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Firefighters, Police Risk All To Rescue People From House Fire During Hurricane Sally
September 20, 2020
As Hurricane Sally made landfall and brought 100+ mph winds and torrential rainfall to the Pensacola area, Pensacola Fire Department dispatch received a desperate call for help in the early morning hours of Wednesday, Sept. 16.
A house was on fire, and two residents were standing on their porch in the middle of a hurricane to escape the flames. Another resident was still inside the home.
Like other first responders in the area, Pensacola Fire Department was temporarily not responding to calls due to unsafe conditions from Hurricane Sally – but they couldn’t let this one go.
“In our line of work, when something like that comes in, that’s when it’s go time for us,” Pensacola Fire Battalion Chief Charles Walters said. “We’re willing to risk everything, so we made the call to go ahead and send companies and respond. Because had we not responded, it might have been a horrible thing – so we risked everything in a storm.”
As Engine 1 and Engine 2 made their way through the horrendous weather conditions to get to the fire at a residence on Ninth Avenue, Pensacola Police Department Sgt. James Daniels heard the same call from dispatch while staging at Pensacola International Airport during the hurricane. Like Pensacola Fire Department, Sgt. Daniels made the decision to respond.
“We were told the same thing, that we were only responding for life or death, and it was going to be based on a hard call and a decision of the supervisors based on the conditions,” Sgt. Daniels said. “I made the call to have myself and my officer go out there…I would rather push through the weather and get to them than to not be able to help.”
The hurricane conditions presented many obstacles as PFD and PPD drove to the house fire, only able to drive about 25 mph at times due to low visibility and wind speeds.
“The wind was pushing you over, the rain was coming down sideways and the streets were flooded,” Pensacola Fire Captain Jarrod Gruber said. “Like you can imagine right in the middle of a hurricane, it was pitch black and the streets were covered in downed trees, power lines, you name it.”
Despite the dangerous conditions, Sgt. Daniels said all three PPD officers and two airport officers who were with him at the airport were eager to respond to the call.
“They literally all were ready and falling behind me, and I told them some of them had to stay,” Sgt. Daniels said. “Our C shift I’m assigned to, that group of officers and the city as a whole, we have a lot of young officers. Well you can tell they’re definitely doing this job and this career for the right reasons – and it shows there, because you have to hold them back and tell them not to go, they’re so eager to help.”
When first responders made it to the residence, flames and smoke were visible, and they were told one resident was still inside.
Firefighters were able to get the individual safely out of the home and extinguish the fire, keeping it contained in the garage where it started. Sgt. Daniels and PPD Officer Wayne Berthiaume transported the three residents to the Pensacola Bay Center shelter to take refuge from the storm.
Pensacola Fire Department and Pensacola Police Department both attributed the successful response to the great teamwork between everyone involved.
“It was definitely two city divisions coming to help out someone else,” Battalion Chief Walters said. “We couldn’t have done it without them.”
Pensacola Fire Chief Ginny Cranor said she was incredibly impressed with the response by her team, along with PPD, who all put their lives on the line to ensure the safety of others.
“I’m so proud of them,” Chief Cranor said. “Their training and preparation as firefighters – and sheer humanity – were on full display. These guys left their own families, not knowing what Sally was going to do, and saved others. It is truly inspiring.”
Pensacola Police Chief Tommi Lyter echoed Chief Cranor’s sentiments.
“I can’t emphasize enough how much I appreciate our officers and their willingness to risk their lives every day for people they’ve never met,” Chief Lyter said. “Stories like this are a testament to the dedication and selflessness of our first responders in the City of Pensacola, and I’m so proud of their dedication and willingness to make sacrifices every day to protect and serve our citizens.”
Mayor Grover Robinson agreed, also expressing his gratitude to everyone involved.
“Heroic stories like this happen every day in the City of Pensacola, but we don’t always get the opportunity to hear about them or recognize those who put their lives in danger to save others,” Mayor Robinson said. “I’m so proud of and thankful for the Pensacola Fire Department and Pensacola Police Department for their selfless actions during this call and many other calls like it where lives have been saved thanks to their dedication. I truly appreciate their service and commitment to keeping our city safe.”
Over 1,500 Cases Of Water Distributed At Cantonment Church On Saturday
September 20, 2020
Over 1,500 cases of water were distributed Saturday at Pinewood Presbyterian Church in Cantonment. The water was provided by Michelle Salzman, Pinewoods Presbyterian and the Lewis Bear Company. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
