Author: Debbie Roney Smith

Arbor Day Tree Giveaway Event

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Next weekend is Arbor Day! First celebrated in Nebraska in 1874, Arbor Day is dedicated to planting trees and celebrating their various roles in the world. Trees do a lot including but not limited to boosting our mental health, eating greenhouse gases, cooling the areas around them, supporting wildlife, and cleaning the air!

To celebrate, Panama City Quality of Life is working with IFAS to give FREE trees to Bay County citizens. This offer is only good while supplies last, so come out early to secure your River Birch or Red Maple! The tree giveaway will be held from 9am-1pm at McKenzie Park. There will also be a free kid craft and tree planting kit at Oaks by the Bay Park from 10-11am while supplies last. Learn more by visiting the Facebook event page here. 

Free Entrance to Gulf Islands National Seashore

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There are only FIVE days in 2023 that the National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee offer free admission to one and all! This means that the local hotspot, the Gulf Islands National Seashore, will be free to everyone coming soon. While the first free day passed in January, the second free pass day is coming this April. As a way to celebrate National Park Week, get free entrance to the National Seashore on April 22nd. Celebrate Earth Day, also occurring on April 22nd, by picking up trash on your walk or capturing a photo of the natural beauty to share online with the tag #celebrateearthday.

The Gulf Islands National Seashore offers recreation, natural preservation, and historic sites along the Gulf of Mexico barrier islands of Florida and Mississippi. Visit the Florida portion of the seashore in Pensacola. The Florida District offers nature trails, beaches, historic fortifications, and the Naval Live Oaks Reservation. The two principal islands in the Florida District of the National Seashore are Santa Rosa Island and Perdido Key.

Can’t make it to the dazzling white beaches this Earth Day? Visit on one of the other three free days:

  • August 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
  • September 23: National Public Lands Day
  • November 11: Veterans Day

Protect Yourself from Scammers

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Scams are on the rise; in 2020, over $2.3 billion in losses were reported due to imposter scams. Imposter scams were the most commonly reported category followed swiftly by online shopping scams. Read the tips below to protect yourself:

  1. Be careful when asked to install apps or software; always check that the app/software is reputable.
  2. Never pay anything over the phone.
  3. Be wary of false urgency; scammers often ask you to act immediately. 
  4. Don’t click on links in emails unless you know who they’re from. Phishing scams often try to send ‘free’ coupons or masquerade themselves as reputable services (such as Netflix).
  5. If it’s offered, make use of multi-factor authentication for any important accounts. 

Earth Day 2023

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Earth Day 2023 is approaching rapidly! This year’s theme is “Invest in Our Planet.” Find an event to participate in by visiting the Earth Day 2023 event search page here. Don’t have the day off to partake in an event but want to make some changes to help invest in the Earth? Consider one of the ideas below:

  • Take pictures of pollinators. Pollinators include more than just the standard honeybees and butterflies; Florida native pollinators include solitary bees, wasps, bats, birds, moths, and many other insects.
  • Buy local produce. Get it from a farmers market, from trades with your rural neighbors, or grow your own food. This helps cut down on food waste as your produce will last longer AND cuts down on the enviromental transport costs from shipping food around the world. 
  • Turn off lights when they’re not in use. Leaving lights on increase the heat in your home, increasing your cooling costs. Light pollution, especially outdoor lights, have been linked to interference in wildlife habits. Additionally, leaving indoor lights on has been linked to diabetes, mood disorders and an increased risk of breast, prostate, and other cancers.
  • Visit this list of 52 ideas to Invest in Our Planet here for more options. 

Calhoun County Advocating for a State Park

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The Calhoun County Community Foundation is working alongside the Calhoun County BOCC and State Representatives in hopes of bringing a State Park to Calhoun County. Advocating under the #KeepCalCoRural hashtag, the proposed state park is part of an ongoing initiative encouraging citizens to support the outdoors through conservation, recreation, and investments.

Calhoun County is the ONLY county in Florida without a State Park and/or a Recreation Area. The implementation of a park/recreation area would bring in MILLIONS of dollars annually to the local economy. It will also provide jobs for locals. The economic and emotional benefits of a maintained outdoor area are huge. Visit the online petition HERE to sign and show support. Help circulate the petition by sharing it on social media and using the initiative hashtag. 

National Pet Day 2023

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Duke, one of Debbie’s furry family members.

Today is National Pet Day! Founded by Colleen Paige in 2006, it’s an annual opportunity to celebrate our animal friends. Paige is an animal welfare advocate and pet-and-family lifestyle expert who wanted to bring attention to the growing needs of many unhoused pets who are waiting to be adopted from shelters.

One of many sweet kitties who live with Debbie.

These animals include more than the standard dogs and cats; rabbits, pigs, birds, and many reptiles are often taken in by shelters or rescue organizations. The phrase “Don’t Shop! Adopt!” is the holiday’s motto. Celebrate National Pet Day by doing your furry family member(s) favorite things, volunteering at an animal welfare organization, or donating resources to no-kill shelters or rescue centers in your area. 

JD, one of Debbie’s furry family members.

April Planting in the Florida Panhandle

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Now is the perfect time to begin planting your garden for the summer haul! April is a good time to transplant gingers, roselle, and tomatoes. If you have any starters ready to put in the ground, now’s the time! April is also a good time to transplant long squash, luffa, papaya, Seminole pumpkin, and sweet potatoes; however, these baby plants are still a little sensitive to the weather, so be sure to watch these transplants carefully after planting them. There is also a number of seeds that can be planted in April including beans (bush, lima, pole), cantaloupes, corn, cucumbers, okra, peanuts, peas, squashes, and watermelons. 

If you’d like to begin preparing for May planting, consider starting tropical spinaches, pigeon pea, amaranth, calabaza, Seminole pumpkin, or sweet potatoes inside the home or in a greenhouse. This way they have time to root properly before it is time to transplant them in May. For more detailed information about gardening in the Florida Panhandle, visit THIS LINK to access the UF | IFAS Extension North Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide. 

Abe Springs

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Abe Springs was the seat of government for Calhoun County from 1849 to 1880. It was the location of a nationally infamous jail that was used so rarely that the county rented it out as a corn crib (a granary used to dry and store corn). Abe Springs is now an unincorporated community in Calhoun County. The seat of government was moved to Blountstown in 1880 after the courthouse at Abe Springs Bluff burned down. The historical marker for the old courthouse was erected in 1993 by The Florida Department of State. Learn more about Calhoun County’s history by visiting this blog about the genealogy and history of the county. 

Flea Across Florida: Washington County

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The Washington County segment of Flea Across Florida will be held April 14-15, 2023. Flea Across Florida is a 275-mile yard sale that stretches from Live Oak to Pensacola, and it’s coming to Washington County and surrounding areas soon! The market will be open from 6-5pm daily.

There will be individuals from surrounding areas selling furniture, clothing, and so much more! The market will take place over Historic Highway 90 in Chipley at T&B Hidden Treasures. Visit Washington County’s Flea Market to help “revitalize and support those historic communities along the highway.”

Seabreeze Jazz Festival

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Coming soon to Panama City Beach: the Seabreeze Jazz Festival! This annual event is one of the Top 10 Jazz Festivals in the USA as ranked by JazzIZ Magazine. It brings together over 20 live music acts for a four-day festival on the sandy beaches of Florida’s Emerald Coast. The festival lineup for 2023 includes The Jacksons, George Benson, Boney James, and KEM. There will be special dinner cruises featuring Michael Lington and Peter White. Each night there will be a ticketed late-night after-party at Pompano Joe’s Seafood House; the parties will include an appetizer buffet and live music. The Jazz Festival will take place at Aaron Bessant Park from April 19th to 23rd. Learn more by visiting the festival website HERE.